Manu Bhakar can now be considered as one of India’s most extraordinary and successful athletes in recent years, taking into consideration the shooting sports field. She was born on 18 February 2002 in Jhajjar, Haryana, India and immediately she came to the international limelight and gained much popularity with her marvelous performance in a comparatively short period.
This blog is completely dedicated to the biography and lifestyle of Manu Bhakar an Olympic medallist screwing her journey from a tiny talented girl to an Olympic medallist.
Early Life and Beginnings in Sports
Manu Bhakar was brought up in a family that was enthused by sports and other forms of exercise thus having a great impact in early years. Although she began with her experiments in Tennis, Skating as well as boxing, it was shooting which attracted her. At the Rio 2016 Olympics, she chose to practice shooting when she was only 14 years old. In a week she was so fascinated that she convinced her father, Ram Kishan Bhakar to purchase her a sports shooting pistol. This was the turning point in the life of the lady who decided to fight for her goal with a passion for sports.
Manu soon got her rewards for consistent practice; she competed in the National Shooting Championships in 2017, and shot a record score of 242, leaving Olympian Heena Sidhu behind. The male participants also performed modestly by coming 3 in the 10m Air Pistol event. This was just the start and she went on early to start winning medals and awards in the domestic and international forums.
Ascendance to Glory
Manu Bhakar did not take long to ascend the ranks of shooting. She competed in the ISSF World Cup for the first time in 2018 in Guadalajara, Mexico where she created a new Junior World Record in the qualification round and then secured the top position in the women’s 10m air pistol shooting. She etched her name in the history of Indian shooting when she clinched gold in a junior world cup at the age of 16.
She emerged as the first Indian shooter and the first female athlete from the country in 2018 to have an Olympic Youth gold medal. This progression was not short-lived as she went on to clinch more championships; more medals- gold at Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, and World Championships.
Olympic Journey: Triumph and Trials
Tokyo 2020 was Manu Bhakar’s first Olympic Games, which could have ended brilliantly for her and a potential medal win if it were not for the pistol failure. But, she took this as a challenge and stepped back into the ring a much more powerful contender than before.
It was during the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics Manu Bhaker set a record as the first woman from India to have won an Olympic medal in shooting. Representing Kenya in the women’s 10m air pistol shooting category, she clinched a bronze medal but lost the silver and gold by a mere 0. 1 points. This not only started India’s medal tally in the games but also put her among the most successful Indian shooters in the Olympics, which again cleared her hard work and care towards her sport.
Lifestyle and Personal Philosophy
As for now, she leads a quite moderate life although she is a bright star in the world of sports. She has a strict workout schedule that is not limited to shooting exercises but also consists of physical training and psychological preparation. Her coach, Jaspal Rana, has been of great influence on her success and issues of focus to face the competitive pressures.
Manu Bhakar is also not very reclusive as she often interacts with her fans and the media and shares with them her experiences and knowledge. She always comes out to thank her fans and always boasts of hard work in whatever she does. The shot focuses a player’s mind and of course needs a lot of determination and patience, two traits that are evident in Manu both in the shooting range and in regular life. (Also, read: Olympic Games 2024: History, Traditions, And New Sports)
Recognition and Impact
It is quite fortunate that Manu’s contribution to promoting Indian shooting sports has not stopped here. She is always a proud winner of so many awards and honors that she has received so far; among the awards she has received include the Arjuna Award which was awarded to her in acknowledgment of her remarkable performance in competitive shooting. Skeet shooting, as an example, has been developed by her leading many youths, particularly in India to embrace the sport.
At the moment, Manu Bhakar wants to contest even more, especially in the 10m air pistol mixed team event where she has sealed another bronze in the same Paris Olympics. Her performance has given her a reputation as one of the leading athletes in India and she dreams of winning several medals which would inspire other generations of Indian shooters.
Conclusion
The story of Manu Bhakar is incredible. She hails from a small town in Haryana and has achieved significant success through hard work and dedication, aiming to become an Olympic medallist. Her journey has not only been path-changing for shooting sports in India but has also inspired numerous young athletes to pursue their dreams. Despite facing setbacks, such as a non-performance at the Olympics, Manu has been an inspiration, teaching valuable lessons in perseverance. As she continues to strive for higher standards in her sport, Manu Bhakar will always be a guiding light for future athletes and sports personalities in India. Setting her sights on upcoming contests, it is expected that this remarkable shooter will achieve even greater results in the future.