Three Years After Heartbreak in Tokyo Due to Pistol Malfunction, Manu Bhaker Set to Script History in Paris – News18

Young Indian shooter Manu Bhaker on Saturday became the 1st Indian female shooter to reach an Olympic final in an individual event in the last 20 years. Moreover, she redeemed herself from a massive heartbreak three years ago which derailed her debut Olympic outing and denied her a podium finish.

A pistol malfunction in the qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 had reduced Bhaker to tears. A technical snag in her pistol stole six precious minutes, putting her under pressure during the qualification event. On consulting with her coach Ronak Pandit, it was found out that a lever in the pistol was broken which was preventing the barrel from functioning smoothly.

Despite making a blistering start, she lost momentum due to uncertain circumstances and was left deeply shattered. But three years down the line, she redeemed herself in Paris with a supremely confident performance to secure a spot in the 10m air pistol final.

Bhaker shot 580 to finish third in the qualifications in which Hungarian ace Veronika Major claimed the top spot with a score of 582. Her personal coach Jaspal Rana could not stop his tears before saying that the job was only half done.

“What happened today doesn’t matter anymore. Tomorrow is when it counts. We start afresh,” Rana was quoted as saying by PTI.

Bhaker shot as many as 27 inner 10s, the most in the field of 44. She took her time early on in the session and seven 10s and three 9s in the opening series indicated that the Indian was at the top of her game. She got an 8 in the fifth series, her first bad shot in an otherwise excellent qualification, but she still remained in the mix and eventually made the final.

Bhaker will be joined by Hungarian Veronika Major, Koreans Oh Ye Jin and Kim Ye-Ji, Vietnam’s Trinh Thu Vin, China’s Li Xue and Jiang Ranxin and Turkey’s Sevval Tarhan in the final on Sunday. The other Indian in the field, Rhythm Sangwan, ended 15th with an underwhelming 573.

(With Agency Inputs)

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