Manu Bhaker (born 18 February 2002) is an Indian shooter who won two bronze medals at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She first won a bronze in the women’s 10 metre air pistol event, making her the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. She then partnered with Sarabjot Singh to win another bronze in the mixed 10m air pistol event. This made her the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals and the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympic Games in 124 years.
Manu Bhaker’s Journey from a Small Village of Haryana to the Top of the World in Paris Olympics
Manu Bhaker, born on 18 February 2002 in Goria village, Haryana, initially excelled in sports like Huyen langlon, boxing, tennis, and skating. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, invested ₹1,50,000 for her to start competitive shooting. She achieved international success with a silver medal at the 2017 Asian Junior Championships and nine gold medals at the 2017 National Games, where she also broke a record set by Heena Sidhu.
In 2018, Bhaker won gold in the Women’s 10m air pistol at the World Cup in Mexico, becoming the youngest Indian to win a World Cup gold. She also won gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the same World Cup, partnering with Om Prakash Mitharval. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, she secured gold in the women’s 10m air pistol event, setting a new record.
She made history at the 2018 Youth Olympics by becoming the first Indian shooter and first Indian woman to win a gold medal. Bhaker continued her success with a gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the 2019 ISSF World Cup in Delhi and qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She won team gold at the 2022 Asian Games and clinched a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal.