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Bronze haul: Celebrations hit a crescendo at DAV-10
With the achievement, Manu and Sarabjot have also become the first Indian pair to script the history; Incidentally both are students at DAV College, Sector 10 in Chandigarh
Celebrations took centre-stage in Ambala and Chandigarh as the dynamic duo of Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, in a historic moment for Indian shooting, secured the bronze medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. The pair’s outstanding performance in the 10m air pistol mixed team event has not only brought immense pride to the nation but has also elevated India’s stature in the world of shooting.
This marked 22-year-old Sarabjot’s first Olympic medal. The 22-year-old Manu, meanwhile, became the first Indian to win multiple medals at a single Olympic Games, having already opened India’s account at the 2024 Paris Olympics with a bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event.
Sarabjot’s father, Jatinder Singh, attended live screening of the match at AR shooting range of Central Phoenix Club in Ambala Cantonment with several shooting aspirants, where Sarabjot was trained by his coach Abhishek Rana.
Jatinder, a farmer at their native Dheen village in Ambala’s Barara block, said, “All this is due to his constant practice and support from the coach. My son has won multiple medals at various championships including at Asian games.”
With the achievement, Manu and Sarabjot have also become the first Indian pair to script the history. Incidentally both are students at DAV College, Sector 10 in Chandigarh.
Associate professor Dr Amanendra Mann, had merely reached Paris via Switzerland and then to the shooting range in Chateauroux, on a monumental day when India’s ace shooter Manu Bhaker clinched bronze in women’s 10m air pistol Olympic final to enter the record books. Even though he missed another college ward, Sarabjot Singh’s Olympic Games debut and missed out on a final berth in the men’s 10m air pistol individual event by a whisker, the Ambala-based shooter finished ninth in the qualification round. On Tuesday, Dr Mann was all pumped up and sitting in the crowd to cheer both his wards Manu and Sarabjot, who were playing for a podium-finish in the mixed team event of the 10m air pistol shooting. Making India proud, the duo won the bronze medal and doubled India’s medal tally.
The Indian duo defeated the Korean pair of Xue Li and Wonho Lee 16-8, who finished fourth with 579 points and 18 perfect shots, in the bronze medal match.
Manu, is pursuing post graduate diploma in mass communication for the session 2024-25 from DAV College while Sarabjot is currently pursuing post graduate diploma in marketing management from the same college.
After securing two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics 2024, Manu will be gearing up for Women’s 25m Pistol event. She will begin the competition on August 1, with the final scheduled for August 3. Whole India will be glued to Manu’s event with a hope that the champion shooter completes a hat-trick of medals at the Games.
Dr Mann, who will be cheering on and supporting Manu in the upcoming event from the sidelines, said, “She has done a brilliant job at the Games. Winning twin medals is a rare feat. She has it in her and can win the third as well.” Dr Mann has earlier worked in an Union Grants Commission (UGC) project for “psychological skills training programme for rifle and pistol shooters” along with assistant professor Shruti Shourie way back in 2013. Although the project lasted two years but the module which they made helped the shooters in later years. Renowned shooters, such as Anjum Moudgil, Malaika Goel, Hema KC, Ajitesh Kaushal, Arjun Babuta and Ankush Bhardwaj have studied in the college.
