I really hope we would be winning many more medals at this Olympics: Manu Bhaker

Ramita Jindal and Arjun Babuta also reached in the finals of 10 meter Air Rifle women and men category

Manu Bhaker at podium in Paris. 

Khel Today Bureau

Paris: It was Super Sunday for the Indian shooting contingent at the French National Shooting Centre range in Chateauroux, as not only did Pistol queen Manu Bhaker break the two-Olympics medal drought in the sport with a bronze in the 10m Air Pistol Women, but two other Indians made two more finals taking the total number of finalists to three so far in five events, indicating the squad’s rising stock in the competition.

“I am really happy that I am the medium for this first medal and I really hope we would be winning many more medals at this Olympics as all of us have worked hard,” said the champion shooter to the official broadcasters after the match.

Manu it seemed kept a date with destiny, never out of reckoning in the 24-shot eight-woman final, her confidence surely boosted by her belief in the Bhagvad Gita and an above par 580 on Saturday, which gave her third place in qualifying.

The 22-year-old from Jhajhar was second after the first series of five-shots and third after the second. Once the two Chinese, reigning world champion Jiang Ranxin and Li Xue, were out in fifth and fourth respectively, it was increasing becoming a fight between the two Koreans Oh Ye Jin and Kim Yije and Manu for the medals.

A 10.0 for her 20th shot assured a medal as Vietnam’s Trinh bowed out of reckoning and Manu pushed for gold. She moved up to second after the 22nd after Yeji faltered with a 9.4. However, the Korean overturned the 0.1 deficit in the 22nd with a clutch 10.5 as the Indian bowed out with a 10.3.

Oh Ye Jin would go on to win gold with an Olympic record of 243.2 as Yeji was second with 241.3 and Manu third with 221.7.

Earlier, the day began well with both Elavenil Valarivan and Ramita in early reckoning in the 10m Air Rifle Women qualifiers, however it would be heartbreak for the Tokyo Olympian, but ecstasy for the yet another Haryana shooter on day as Ramita surged late, as she has been of late, to claim fifth position with a score of 631.5. Ela would finish 10th with 630.7.

Ramita needed a strong finish to ensure she holds on to her fifth position and shots of 10.6 and 10.3 for her 59th and 60th shots came just when they were needed.

India booked a third final slot in shooting when Arjun Babuta shot 630.1 to claim seventh position in the 49-strong field. China’s Sheng Lihao, who won the Mixed Air Rifle a day earlier, topped the field with 631.7. Sandeep Singh justified his selection with a fighting 629.7 to finish 12th in the pecking order.

Manu Bhaker’s bronze was India’s first medal in shooting since Chef-De-Mission Gagan Narang won bronze in the air rifle men’s event at the London Olympics in 2012.