Manu Bhaker Wins Historic Bronze in Women’s 10m Air Pistol
In a major milestone for Indian sports, 22-year-old Manu Bhaker won a historic bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She is the first Indian woman shooter to win this medal.
Career Highlights
Manu Bhaker’s journey is marked by significant milestones:
- Youngest ISSF World Cup Gold Medallist: She became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup.
- Commonwealth Games Success: At just 16, she won gold at her maiden Commonwealth Games in the women’s 10m air pistol event in 2018.
- Asian Games Victory: In 2022, she partnered with Esha Singh and Rhythm Sangwan to win gold at the Asian Games.
To date, Manu Bhaker has claimed an impressive tally of:
- 15 Gold Medals
- 3 Silver Medals
- 1 Bronze Medal
Tokyo Olympics Heartbreak
At the Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker was expected to do well, but she faced a setback. Her pistol stopped working properly, which affected her performance. Even though she started strong, she couldn’t qualify for the final because of this problem.
Early Life and Background
Manu Bhaker was born in Goria village in Haryana’s Jhajjar district. Her family has always supported her. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, works as a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy. Manu was very good at many sports when she was young, such as Manipuri martial arts, boxing, tennis, and skating. She even won national awards in these sports before deciding to focus on shooting.
About Paris Olympics 2024
Event Dates and Historic Hosting: The Paris Olympics 2024 will be held from July 26 to August 11, marking the third time Paris has hosted the Games, following the 1900 and 1924 Olympics.
Sports and Venues: The event will feature 32 sports across 32 venues, including competitions on the Seine River. Notably, breakdancing will make its debut as an Olympic sport.
Sustainability and Opening Ceremony: Organizers aim for 95% of the venues to be sustainable. The opening ceremony will be a unique riverside parade featuring 160 boats, with an estimated 10,500 athletes participating.
Month: Current Affairs - July, 2024
Category: Sports Current Affairs