Manu Bhaker Makes History with Bronze at Paris 2024, Becomes First Indian Woman Shooter to Win an Olympic Medal

Paris, France - July 28, 2024: Manu Bhaker etched her name in the annals of Indian sporting history by becoming the first woman shooter from India to win an Olympic medal. Bhaker clinched the bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Sunday. She narrowly missed the silver by just 0.1 points, finishing behind South Korea's Kim Yeji, who took silver, and Oh Ye Jin, who won gold.

Manu Bhaker, daughter of Merchant Navy Chief Engineer Ram Kishan Bhaker, wins the first medal (10m Air Pistol) for India in the Paris Olympics 2024. It is a proud day for all Mariners and all Indians.🇮🇳

This achievement comes three years after Bhaker’s Tokyo Olympics campaign was marred by a pistol malfunction. At just 22 years old, Bhaker demonstrated remarkable resilience and skill, adding an Olympic medal to her impressive tally of nine World Cup medals. With this victory, she joins the elite club of Indian shooters who have won Olympic medals, making her only the fifth Indian and the first woman to do so.

Bhaker's historic journey to the bronze medal was marked not only by her podium finish but also by becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final in the women's 10m air pistol event. The last time an Indian woman shooter reached an Olympic final was in 2004 when Suma Shirur competed in the 10m air rifle event in Athens.

Manu Bhaker now joins the ranks of Indian Olympic shooting medallists, which include:

•⁠ ⁠Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, who won a silver medal in the men’s double trap at the Athens 2004 Olympics.

•⁠ ⁠Abhinav Bindra, who claimed a gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle at the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

•⁠ ⁠Gagan Narang, who secured a bronze medal in the men’s 10m air rifle at the London 2012 Olympics.

•⁠ ⁠Vijay Kumar, who earned a silver medal in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol at the London 2012 Olympics.

Manu Bhaker's remarkable performance at Paris 2024 marks a significant milestone for Indian women in shooting, inspiring future generations of athletes. Her perseverance and success highlight the growing prowess of Indian shooters on the global stage.