INDIAN shooter Manu Bhaker, the country’s first multi-medallist at a single Olympic Games, hopes her feat in Paris will help to unlock the potential of other women athletes in the world’s most populous nation.
“It’s a long journey, let’s keep going and let’s not settle for these two medals,” Bhaker, 22, said as she held up her bronze medals outside the Chateauroux Shooting Centre last month.
“Let’s hope for many more medals in this Olympics and subsequent events,” added Bhaker, who won bronze in the women’s 10-metre air pistol as well as in the mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh to open India’s medal count in Paris.
Bhaker’s double success on July 30 prompted a call from the country’s prime minister Narendra Modi and an avalanche of congratulatory messages.
She revealed last week that she has already set her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
“After the end of one Olympics I already have the next one on my mind for which the journey has already started. After Paris, the journey of it (LA Olympics) has already begun, so after a little break I will get back to preparing for it,” Bhaker said.
“I hope my performance stays good like this time and I keep working hard and keep giving good performances.”
“In the next three months, a lot of people want to meet me, then I would like to spend time with my family, then rest for a while and work on my fitness, then restart shooting again,” she added.
Social media in India was abuzz with her exploits and Bhaker hoped her success will have an impact.
“I don’t know what’s trending on social media, but I hope a lot of parents would push their daughters to try different sports,” she said.
“My parents were so supportive of me in choosing any sport or cultural activity, anything. Even today, if I say ‘I don’t want to do this, I’ll learn classical dance or something’, they will support that too.
“If the women of our country get that kind of support, we as a nation can grow. There’s a lot of scope for improvement.”
Bhaker became the first Indian in the post-Independence era to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. She also nearly won a third bronze in 25m pistol before finishing fourth.
She hails from the north Indian state of Haryana, which has emerged as a hub for Olympic sport in India despite its male bias and a skewed sex ratio.
India cricketer Shafali Verma, who had to masquerade as a boy to pursue the game, also hails from the state.
(Photo credit: PTI)
