5 things you didn't know about Manu Bhaker

With impressive performances and medals at ISSF World Cups, the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Youth Olympics, Manu Bhaker has risen to fame in the sport of shooting. The teenager, from Jhajjar, Haryana, will be competing in the 10m air pistol event at Tokyo Olympics 2020.

In this article, we take a look at a few things you might not know about Manu Bhaker.

Manu Bhaker's interest in other sports

Bhaker is the perfect sportsperson. Before taking up shooting at the age of 14, Bhaker played a variety of sports like boxing, tennis and skating. She even played a few national tournaments in these sports. Manu Bhaker also excelled in Huyen Langlon, a type of Manipuri martial art. When she finally decided to learn the sport of shooting, Bhaker's father spent Rs 1,50,000 to get her the required equipment.

Manu Bhaker's coach

Bhaker has been trained under the supervision of Jaspal Rana. Rana is a former shooter who represented India at Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and ISSF World Cups. He secured gold medals for India at the 1994 Asian Games, the 2006 Asian Games and the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Rana was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1994 and the Padma Shri in 1997.

Manu Bhaker's records

Manu Bhaker holds two records to her name in the 10m air pistol event. She set a Commonwealth Games record in 2018 with a score of 240.9. She also holds the junior world record with a score of 244.7, which she set at the ISSF World Cup in China in 2019. Apart from this, she also holds India's National Games record with a score of 242.3.

In 2017, Bhaker won 9 medals at the National Games

Manu Bhaker won the 2021 BBC Emerging Player of the Year

At a virtual awards ceremony held in March 2021, Manu Bhaker was chosen as the BBC Emerging Player of the Year. She was also nominated for the Indian Sportswoman of the Year award. After receiving the award Bhaker said:

"It feels like my hard work has been recognized. It feels like people know my hard work now."

Manu Bhaker's love for yoga

The teenage shooter is fond of doing yoga. Bhaker took to Twitter to share photos and videos of her doing yoga.

योग ही साधना है ॥ स्वस्थ् भारत, निरोग भारत। pic.twitter.com/gBryRQw6wt

— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) May 16, 2021

जब हम छोटे बच्चे थे, योगा तब भी करते थे ।कीजिए योग, रहिये नीरोग । #YogaDay #योगदिवस pic.twitter.com/ISX1OsTC5o

— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) June 21, 2021

Manu Bhaker's recent success at global shooting competitions has made her a favorite to get a podium finish in the individual and mixed team category at the 10m air pistol event at Tokyo Olympics 2020.