Manu Bhaker returns to shooting with coach Jaspal Rana for the first time since Paris Olympics

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Manu Bhaker's 100-day break from shooting is over. She is back at the grind, in the hills of Dehradun. Back with her coach, mentor and guide Jaspal Rana. The goal ahead is simple, prepare for the next Olympic cycle and avoid all distractions.

Jaspal has bought a new machine for the 10-metre air pistol range at his complex near Dehradun. It's all serious work, minus distraction.

"Manu had promised me she would get back to shooting, and she has. We have worked out the schedule. For me, it's a fresh start and Manu is committed to working again, like before," Jaspal Rana told mykhel on Tuesday.

Such is the seriousness with which Manu Bhaker is back, she is craving to go through the long training sessions again. In fact, she missed going to a felicitation function on Saturday night in Mumbai where she was declared as best woman athlete. That's her serious training, again. Her father Ramkishab Bhaker collected the award.

Though Manu had been away from shooting since August 3, she had resumed physical training, so important for her to shoot. The fatigue was intense and she needed to take a break and do different things to break the monotony. But her craving is shooting, so the grind, again at the air pistol range.

It is well known, Jaspal had grilled her very hard in the air pistol before the Olympics, a slow fire event which helps her to also prepare for the sports pistol event (25 metres) as well. There is no hurry, no goal to be achieved, bang in 2024. "The main thing is, Manu is enjoying her shooting. We have worked out the schedule and there is no hurry at all. Realistically, we are targeting a first competition in 2025 and take it forward. Everyone is talking about LA Olympics in 2028, but how does one forget hard work has to be done for the 2026 Asian Games and trials before that in 2025. There will be trials and there will be stiff competition as well. It is my job to prepare her for everything again," added Rana.

A month back, Manu Bhaker told mykhel, her heart longs for shooting, even though she was busy with many functions and her MA Exams from Punjab University. She has come back with a desire to excel again and start from zero. She is now inert to social media trolls, takes it in her stride. Her return is similar to what she had done from May 2023, when she had asked her coach Jaspal Sir to again guide her.

This is a second innings of sorts, with a commitment to work hard. "There is no point talking about Manu winning two medals won in the Paris 2024 Olympics. That is history. Past is past, move on, train. That's the plan for Manu and me," added Jaspal rana. He is a hard task master but that is what resulted in India winning shooting medals again in the Olympics after a 12- years gap.