Manu Bhaker India's shooting star

Olympics ki Aasha: How Manu Bhaker became India's shooting star

Manu Bhaker (source twitter: @realmanubhaker)

Manu Bhaker has established herself as one of the finest pistol shooters India has ever produced. She has been in the limelight since 2018. Over the last few years, Manu Bhaker has proved her mettle and has been an important member of India's remarkable rise in the shooting.

The 19-year-old has always been consistent with her performances. Manu Bhaker always headlines every shooting event she competes in. Her first international career breakthrough at the 2018 Youth Olympics, where she won gold and silver, put her into the ring to become the next rising star in the Indian shooting.

Read: Tokyo Olympics Shooting: Manu Bhaker, the only Indian shooter to compete in 3 events in Tokyo can be the next big star

The duo of Manu Bhaker and Saurabh Chaudhary is regarded as one of India's best shooting pairs. The Haryana girl is a member of the Indian shooting contingent heading to the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Manu Bhaker and 14 other Indian shooters are currently in Zagreb, Croatia.

Manu Bhaker is one of the strong medal prospects for India in shooting at the quadrennial event in Japan, which is slated to be held later this month.

As I enter the last leg of preparation for Tokyo Olympics, I am now going off social media till end of Olympics. I will need your love, blessings n support to bring glory to our country. See you all soon! pic.twitter.com/X6ZbjSotQ2
— Manu Bhaker (@realmanubhaker) June 29, 2021

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Read: Indian shooting at Tokyo Olympics 2020: All the participants, events, schedule, and live streaming details

Manu Bhaker's impeccable rise to the top.

Manu Bhaker was born and brought up in the Goria village of Jhajjar district in Haryana. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, works as a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy. At a young age, Manu Bhaker tried her hands at tennis, boxing, skating, and Huyen Langlong.

The 19-year-old excelled in these sports before taking up shooting. Manu Bhaker first came across the sport when she visited a shooting range at her school. Eventually, she fell in love with it and decided to pursue it professionally.

Manu Bhaker got her first career break in 2017 when she swept nine gold in shooting at the National Games in Kerala. The following year, she shot to fame when she became the youngest Indian to win a gold medal in a 10m air pistol event at the 2018 ISSF World Cup held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Read: What is the 10m air pistol event at the Tokyo Olympics all about, and which Indians can win gold in that discipline?

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Manu Bhaker won the gold medal in the women's 10m air pistol. In 2019, she and mixed team partner Saurabh Chaudhary bagged four gold medals at the ISSF World Cup and also sealed her spot for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

At the ISSF World Cup, Manu Bhaker has won a total of seven gold medals since 2018.

Read: Explained: Shooting events in which India can bag medals at Tokyo Olympics 2020

Manu Bhaker aims for Olympic glory

Manu Bhaker is one of the Indian shooters who will be headlining at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 later this month. She is among India's medal hopefuls in shooting at the quadrennial extravaganza in Japan. Over the last five years, the 19-year-old has been investing all her energy and focus on winning an Olympic medal. She said:

"To win the Olympic medal, I have been really working hard for the past 5 years now and it has always been my dream"

Manu Bhaker is very grateful to the Government of India for their support. She says:

"The government has been very helpful throughout my shooting years. Whenever we need any equipment for training purposes like ammunition, pistols or anything, everything is settled by the government"

Manu Bhaker's Tokyo Olympics 2020 campaign will begin on 25th July 2021.

Read: Will the pressure get the better of the Indian shooting team at the Tokyo Olympics?