Manu’s confidence high after teaming with Jaspal, she’ll do well in sports pistol also: father

Surajkund (Haryana), Jul 30 (PTI) Pistol shooter Manu Bhaker’s house in Surajkund once again turned into a place bubbling with excitement and teeming with well wishers following her history-scripting second bronze in Paris Olympics on Tuesday.

Bhaker became the first athlete in independent India to bag two medals in a single edition of the Olympic Games after she and Sarabjot Singh clinched the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze, defeating South Korea 16-10.

The 22-year-old Haryana shooter displayed tremendous composure and determination in pressure-cooker situation to shoot consistent 10-plus scores at the Chateauroux shooting range near Paris.

She had earlier won a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air pistol event.

Bhaker’s father Ram Kishan said he had been left speechless by her daughter’s exploits in Paris and credited it to the “self-confidence” she gained after teaming up with coach Jaspal Rana.

“I have been left speechless, it’s a very big achievement for the country,” said Ram Kishan at their third-storey society flat here even as dozens of well wishers celebrated the achievement with sweets and ‘dhols’.

“Jaspal had been a great shooter in his time and their tuning is very good. When she stared working with him again, her confidence went high and the results are there for everyone to see,” he told PTI Videos.

Bhaker had broken up with four-time Asian Games gold medallist pistol shooting coach Rana before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 before she re-united with him in the run-up to the Paris Games.

“Manu’s efforts and Jaspal’s blessings, it all helped in her success,” he added.

He said that Bhaker would be gunning for more success and aiming for a third medal in 25m sports pistol. The qualification round of women’s 25m sports pistol will be held on August 2.

“Not just us but the expecations of the entire country have gone up after two bronze medals. And I feel ‘woh ummedon pe khari utregi’ (she will live up to the expectations) in her third event as well.”

Ram Kishan also congratulated Bhaker’s partner Sarabjot, saying without him a second medal wouldn’t have been possible. He, however, said that Sarabjot seemed under pressure, “which is okay, as he is competing in his first Olympics, while Manu is in her second Games”.

“Pressure does make a difference but Sarabjot also played really well,” he added.

Bhaker’s mother Sumedha said she could have had a heart-attack from the excitement after learning about her daughter’s second medal.

“I kept praying that even if I have to walk on glowing embers, I would, but my daughter should be successful today. I did not watch the competition and was just praying for Manu’s success.

“My neighbours came and told us that Manu had won another medal and that is when we switched on the television. I was so happy that I would have died of a heart-fail today, and asked my husband to get me some water,” she said.

“Without Jaspal, this wouldn’t have been possible. I was not just praying for Manu’s success but for the success of Sarabjot as well, because it is important that both of them play well. I kept scribbling my thoughts and feelings when the match was on in a diary.”