The Youth Olympic Games came as a healer for Manu Bhaker, as the shooter clinched gold medal in the 10m air pistol event.
With this medal, Manu became first Indian shooter to have won gold in the Youth Games. This is India¡¯s third medal from shooting at the Games after Shahu Mane and Mehuli Ghosh clinched silver medals in men¡¯s and women¡¯s 10m air rifle events, respectively.
The gold is a big morale booster for Manu, 16, as she had missed winning medals after coming close in the 25m pistol and 10m air pistol events at the Asian Games in Palembang, and later at the World Championships in Incheon.
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The pistol shooter from Haryana shot 236.5 in the eight-woman final to clinch the yellow metal.
Manu finished 0.6 point ahead of silver medallist Lana Enina from Russia while the bronze went to Georgia¡¯s Nino Khutsiberidze (214.6).
Manu¡¯s father Ramkishan Bhaker told TOI: ¡°This will help her regain her confidence. She was disappointed after the Asiad and World Championships. She had shot well in both the events, but a medal eluded her. We are glad that finally she has got success.¡±
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Manu has been away from her home in Goriya village of Jhajjar district of Haryana June this year. She has been either participating in the tournaments or attending national camps.
¡°She couldn¡¯t come home, so we had gone to Delhi for four days in between to meet her. I think you have to make sacrifices to win something. I am sure she understands this and that is why she has never complained about it,¡± the proud father said.
It was a rollercoaster ride for the Indian in the final. Manu started well by shooting 50.1 after the first five shots. She was followed closely by the Russian, but despite a few 9s in between, Manu maintained the top position among the finalists till the 18th shot.
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A 9.1 on her 19th shot, followed by a 10 meant she slipped to second position with 196.4 points behind the Georgian, who climbed up by shooting 9.7 and 10.5 with a total of 196.5 after 20 shots. But Manu kept her cool and shot 9.5 and 10.3, while the Georgian shot 8.3 and 9.8 to drop at third position and get eliminated.
In the last two shots, the Russian fired impressive 10.7 and 10.5, while Manu shot 10.1 and 10.2, but since the Indian had a lead of 1.5 points over the silver medallist, it didn¡¯t matter at the end.