Shooter Manu Bhaker continues her sensational run in the ongoing Paris Olympics. The star markswoman first clinched a historic bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol on July 28. She became the first woman shooter from India to win an Olympic medal. Two days later, Manu bagged the same honour in the mixed team 10m air pistol event, becoming the first-ever athlete from independent India to have won two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. Manu has now become an inspiration for the budding athletes with her achievements and her recent revelation in an interview further lifts her stature.

“I have always known the greats in Indian sports history. In my time, I have always known (PV) Sindhu and Neeraj (Chopra). I have always appreciated them for their hardwork. There was this one time when I made a fake profile to defend Sindhu. Some haters commented and I got so triggered that I made a fake account to defend her on that,” Manu Bhaker told Sportstar.

Reacting to Bhaker’s revelation on X, Sindhu wrote: “Haha what a sweetheart!!! Welcome to the 2 Olympic medal club Manu!! Way to go.”

It was twice as nice for Manu Bhaker as she clinched a history-making 10m air pistol mixed team bronze with Sarabjot Singh in the Olympic Games, joining the league of India’s greatest athletes in a span of 72 hours by being the driving force of the country’s campaign so far.

A good 124 years after British-Indian Norman Pritchard won silver medals in 200m sprint and 200m hurdles, incidentally also in a Paris edition of the Games, Bhaker became the first athlete in post-independent India to snare two individual medals in the same Olympics.

Bhaker combined with an equally unruffled Sarabjot in the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze and gave a superb demonstration of how to control nerves in a high-pressure situation.

The Indian pair defeated the Korean duo of Lee Wonoho and Oh Yeh Jin 16-10. It just added to Bhaker’s growth story as she completely wiped off the memories of a horrendous Olympic debut in Tokyo 2020 where her pistol malfunctioned leaving her in tears.

And it’s not over yet. She remains in contention for another podium finish — in the 25m sports pistol event, the qualification for which will take place on August 2.

While it is a massive achievement for women’s sport in the country, Tuesday’s medal was also redemption for Sarabjot, who had failed to make the men’s 10m air pistol final, finishing ninth on Saturday with a score of 577.

“Actually we can’t control (what the rivals will do), we can do what is in our hand, me and my partner thought let’s just try our best and we will keep fighting till the end,” said Bhaker.

Ambala shooter Sarabjot, who passed through a difficult phase trying to come to terms with the disappointment of the individual competition just three days back, said he was under a lot of pressure to perform.

“I’m feeling good, the game was very tough and there was a lot of pressure, I am very happy,” said the 22-year-old Sarabjot, who comes from a farming family.

(With PTI Inputs)