Manu Bhaker — first Indian woman to win shooting medal at Olympics

Manu Bhaker, India's shooting sensation, made history with a bronze at Paris Olympics 2024, after multiple gold wins.

Manu Bhaker, aged 22, won a historic bronze for India in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the Paris Olympics 2024. It is the first time that an Indian woman shooter to win a medal at the Olympics.

Manu Bhaker became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup. At the age of 16, Manu Bhaker won a gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. It was indeed her maiden Commonwealth Games appearance. Bhaker, along with Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan, won the gold at the Asian Games 2022.

Bhaker has so far won 15 golds, 3 silvers and 1 bronze.

At the Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker suffered a heartbreak as the 19-year-old was troubled by a broken pistol. But she battled valiantly but failed to qualify for the 10m air pistol final. She started strong and was third at the end of the first series, but a freak incident midway through the second series rendered her helpless. The metal cocking lever, which must be retracted to place a pellet in the gun prior to each shot, had broken.

Manu Bhaker was born in Goria village of Jhajjar district in Haryana. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, works as a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy. Until the age of 14, she excelled in other sports like Manipuri martial arts, as well as boxing, tennis and skating, winning medals at the national games in these events.