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I want to prepare myself for success and failure all over again: Manu

ByShantanu Srivastava
Jan 17, 2025 08:51 PM IST

The double Olympic medallist knows she won’t just start winning everything just because of the success she had at Paris

New Delhi: Manu Bhaker causes pandemonium wherever she goes. From stray selfie seekers to eager news crew to shy security guards, everyone wants a piece of the double Olympic medallist. In the six months since she became independent India’s first athlete to medal twice at a single Olympics, Manu has had an audience with the Prime Minister, the chief minister, leaders of Opposition, among others.

President Droupadi Murmu confers Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna to Manu Bhaker. (PTI)
President Droupadi Murmu confers Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna to Manu Bhaker. (PTI)

“It’s kind of funny the kind of people I’ve met. Absolutely unbelievable,” she said. It helps that she tries to accommodate everyone with a picture-perfect smile. The attention, she says, also helps her stay grounded. Perhaps that’s why, when no one is watching, she quietly drifts to para judoka and Arjuna awardee Kapil Parmar who is quietly having his meal all by himself, to congratulate him on his big day. “It wouldn’t feel right if I don’t do it,” she said.

“I never forget where I come from and I don’t forget that all this hype exists only because I’m good at shooting. Someday, all of this will go and people will get on with their lives, but what will stay with me is my shooting.”

Conferred with Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, country’s highest sports honour for athletes, on Friday, Manu’s maturity belies her 22 years. “The attention overwhelms me, to be honest,” she says while posing for pictures. “I feel blessed that I can bring a smile to people’s lives. But at the end of the day, I am still the same person I always was. Maybe, people look at me a little differently now, I don’t know.”

That certainly looked the case on the benign January afternoon where everyone within a square foot of her seemed to radiate her reflected glory. Life, post Paris, has been a blur. Hopping from one felicitation to another, signing endorsement deals, handling the controversy surrounding her earlier exclusion from the awards’ list have meant the youngster has rarely stayed away from the limelight.

But then, she was perhaps ordained for attention since the time she started winning medals by the bagful at domestic events. The martial arts enthusiast, the aspiring violinist, the avid reader, and the sanitised shooting range have all shaped her personality, and the journey, she says, has been deeply personal.

“It’s tough to put it to words. It’s like I have grown up in front of you all. How do you feel observing me all these years?” she asked. It’s not an easy inquisition, but safe to say that between the heartache in Tokyo and the proverbial redemption in Paris, Manu has lived the microcosm of an athlete’s life. There wouldn’t be a Paris without a Tokyo, and Manu’s most memorable success is likely to be forever intertwined with her most memorable failure.

“It’s been a fun, fulfilling journey where I have experienced the sinking depths and dizzying highs, and all those experiences have made me the person that I am today. If there’s one thing success has taught me, it is to stay humble. And if there’s one thing failure has taught me, it is to be patient and have faith. Sport is a great leveller. All this fame aside, what really matters is my shooting.”

Coming into the new cycle, Manu has set short, realistic goals for herself. Success, she says, is never a guarantee in sport, and so she is preparing her mind for embracing failures as well.

“That is among the first things I told myself when I resumed practice two-and-a-half months back. I won’t just start winning everything just because I am an Olympic medallist. I have to put my head down and work hard for it.”

Currently shuttling between Delhi and Dehradun under the tutelage of her coach Jaspal Rana, Manu’s immediate targets are the domestic selection trials followed by the World Cup cycle. “There’s Asian Games next year and before you know, there’ll be LA 2028. I want to take it step by step, prepare myself for success and failure all over again, and ultimatley change the colour of my medal in Los Angeles,” she said.

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Stay updated with the latest sports news, including latest headlines and updates from the Olympics 2024, where Indian athletes will compete for glory in Paris. Catch all the action from tennis Grand Slam tournaments, follow your favourite football teams and players with the latest match results, and get the latest on international hockey tournaments and series.
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