Manu Bhaker Claims Bronze in ISSF World Cup After Two-Year Wait
After a two-year wait, Indian shooter Manu Bhaker clinched a bronze medal in the 25m pistol event at the ISSF World Cup, held at the MP State Shooting Academy. Bhaker, who had failed to qualify for the finals in the air pistol women’s and mixed events, qualified for the medal round with a score of 584. Bhaker finished third in the list of eight qualifiers for the final, while Esha Singh was seventh.
Bhaker’s relief was evident as she chose to go horse-riding at the MP State Equestrian Academy after the final. Her last senior medal came in the Delhi World Cup in 2021, and she expressed hope that this medal would be the start of a series of medals to come. Bhaker finished with 20 hits, while gold medalist Doreen Vennekamp of Germany and Ziyue Du of China had 30 and 29 hits respectively. Yaxuan Xiong of China finished fourth with 12 hits.
China continued to dominate the event, adding a sixth gold to their tally on Saturday in the men’s 50m 3P event. India held on to the second spot with 1 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals. Bhaker’s success is a testament to the power of perseverance and patience. She never relented in her practice and remained focused on her goal. This medal marks a significant achievement for Bhaker, and she hopes it is the beginning of many more to come.
Staff Reporter
