Manu Bhaker, after winning two bronze medals, finishes fourth in women’s 25m air pistol final, missing historic Olympic hat trick

After winning two bronze medals, Indian shooting sensation Manu Bhaker narrowly missed out on a historic Olympic hat trick, finishing fourth in the women’s 25m air pistol final at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Saturday. Despite leading for much of the competition, a challenging final series saw her slip to fourth place after a shoot-off with Hungary’s Veronika Major.

Gold was claimed by South Korea’s Jiin Yang, who defeated France’s Camille Jedrzejewski in a shoot-off. Major secured the bronze medal. 

While the outcome was disappointing, Bhaker’s performance at these Games has been nothing short of extraordinary. She has been a ray of hope and inspiration for Indians. She had already won two bronze medals and another medal at same event would have been unforgettable experience for her.

She became the first Indian woman to win an Olympic shooting medal, clinching bronze in the 10m air pistol event. She followed this up with another bronze in the mixed 10m air pistol team event alongside Sarabjot Singh, India’s first-ever Olympic shooting team medal. 

Saturday’s final saw Bhaker start strongly, holding second place after the initial stage. However, she faced challenges during the elimination rounds, briefly dropping to sixth position. A remarkable comeback brought her back into contention, but a crucial miss in the final shoot-off dashed her hopes of a third Olympic medal.

Bhaker’s journey to the final was impressive, as she qualified in second place with a score of 590, just behind Veronika Major’s Olympic qualifying record of 592. 

India’s shooting contingent has had a strong showing at Paris 2024, with three medals won so far. In addition to Bhaker’s two medals, Swapnil Kusale secured a bronze in the men’s 50m rifle three positions. 

Bhaker’s fourth-place finish mirrors the disappointment of Arjun Babuta, who also finished fourth in the men’s 10m air rifle final. 

Despite this setback, Bhaker’s contribution to Indian sports is undeniable. Her performance at Paris 2024 has inspired a nation and solidified her status as one of India’s greatest athletes.