Paris Olympics: Manu Bhaker Qualifies for Medal Round of Women's Individual 10m Air Pistol Event

Manu Bhaker became the first Indian shooter to reach the medal round at the Paris Olympics. This remarkable achievement comes after a thrilling performance in the qualification round, where she scored 580/600 with 27x (inner-most circle shots).

The young shooter, who is competing at four events at the Paris Olympics, put up stellar performance and has secured her a spot in the medal round, which will take place tomorrow -- July 28 -- at 3:30 PM IST.

Manu Bhaker Paris Olympics — Manu Bhaker (Photo: PTI)

This achievement is especially significant for Bhaker, who faced criticism after faltering in the medal round of the mixed team event at the Tokyo Olympics. Now, she has a chance to leave those ghosts behind and make her mark in the individual event. It's important to mention that the 22-year-old Haryana shooter returned to her former coach Jaspal Rana after the Tokyo damnpner.

Performance Details

Rank	NOC	Name	Series 1	Series 2	Series 3	Series 4	Series 5	Series 6	Total
1	HUN	MAJOR Veronika	95	98	96	97	97	99	582-22x
2	KOR	OH Ye Jin	96	97	99	97	95	98	582-20x
3	IND	BHAKER Manu	97	97	98	96	96	96	580-27x
4	VIE	TRINH Thu Vinh	97	94	96	97	100	94	578-26x
5	KOR	KIM Yeji	98	96	95	98	96	95	578-16x
6	CHN	LI Xue	99	97	99	95	93	94	577-23x
7	TUR	TARHAN Sevval Ilayda	97	98	97	97	93	95	577-15x
8	CHN	JIANG Ranxin	98	94	95	96	95	99	577-13x
15	IND	SANGWAN Rhythm	97	92	97	96	95	96	573-14x

Note: x stands for number of shots to the inner-most circles or bull's eye

As the Women's Individual 10m Air Pistol Event got underway, the excitement was palpable. Both Indian shooters, Manu Bhaker and Rhythm Sangwan, started strong with an identical score of 97/100 in their first series. Bhaker quickly climbed to the fourth spot with 7x (inner-most circle shots), while Sangwan was positioned eighth with 3x.

Bhaker continued to demonstrate her prowess in the second series, scoring another 97, which elevated her to third place with a total of 194/200. Sangwan, however, faced challenges, ending her second series with a score that dropped her to 21st place.

By the third series, Bhaker was in formidable form, scoring 302/310 and maintaining her position at second. Her consistent performance kept her in contention as she moved through the rounds. Sangwan, despite improving slightly, struggled to climb higher than the 18th position.

Bhaker faced stiff competition but remained focused, ending the fifth series with a score of 96/100, bringing her total to 484/500. Sangwan, on the other hand, saw her chances diminish as she dropped to 17th with 496/520.

As the final shots were fired, Bhaker completed her 60 shots with a score of 580/600 and 27x, securing her place in the medal round. Sangwan finished 15th with a score of 573/600 and 14x. While Sangwan's performance fell short of expectations, it provided her with invaluable experience on the Olympic stage.

This result is a testament to Bhaker's resilience and skill. After a challenging experience at the Tokyo Olympics, she has now emerged as a strong contender for a medal in Paris. The nation will be watching eagerly as she competes in the final, hoping she can overcome past setbacks and achieve Olympic glory.

The qualification round showcased Bhaker's determination and potential, setting the stage for an exciting final. The Indian shooting community and fans across the country are rallying behind her, confident in her ability to deliver a standout performance.