‘Jack of All Trades’ to Olympic medallist: Shooter Manu Bhaker recalls her journey

Manu Bhaker bagged bronze in the women's 10m Air pistol event and clinched the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol (mixed team) event at Paris Olympics 2024

Manu Bhaker on Sunday recalled her journey from being the “Jack of All Trades” to an Olympic bronze medallist in shooting. The 22-year-old shooter from Haryana tried her hand at boxing, martial arts, and skating before picking shooting as a career.

Manu Bhaker scripted history when she became the first Indian to win two medals at the same Olympics(PTI file)

In an exclusive interview to Hindustan Times' Kumkum Chadha, Bhaker said,“When I won the first medal, I aimed to prepare for the next match. I had been training vigorously and the routines were very strict. As soon as the first match was over, we were preparing for the next match. The second medal came and then I was thinking about the third match."

“It was not that we were expecting just one medal. We had worked really hard and wanted to give our best at all the events. I performed really well and am grateful to have given two medals to India,” she added.

“Whatever I did, be it boxing or my studies, I tried to give my entire energy and efforts into it. It was not like a liability that I have to do it. I never used to take it that way. I used to enjoy everything. When you enjoy things, you become natural at it,” Bhaker said.

When asked whether her mother questions her on seeing permanent marks on the wrist due to handling the gun, Bhaker said,"Now she knows that I enjoy shooting a lot. Whenever I am low, she is the one saying “Don't worry.”

On Prakash Padukone saying ‘players also take responsibility’

Badminton legend Prakash Padukone had stirred a controversy by saying that athletes also take responsibility and not hold federations and government responsible for the results.

Bhaker, who had opened India's medal tally at Paris Olympics by bagging bronze in the women's 10m Air pistol event and clinching the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol (mixed team) event, said,"It has to come on the shoulders of the entire team. For example, if the shooting team does not win a medal, it comes on the entire fraternity. Coaches and athletes would also be responsible."

“The federation, SAI, everyone should be responsible for it,” she added.