Olympic star Manu Bhaker embraces setbacks, stressing team success over personal glory
New Delhi
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker has taken her below-par showing at the ISSF World Championships in stride, insisting that an athlete cannot win every single day while expressing pride in India’s overall performance. Bhaker, who surprisingly missed out on a podium finish despite 13 Indian medals at the event, said she remains India’s “biggest cheerleader” irrespective of who stands on the podium.
“I was aiming for medals at the World Championships. My performance was good, I scored decently but couldn’t make it to the podium. My teammate Esha Singh did… in sports you cannot win every day, sometimes you lose as well,” Bhaker said at the launch of ASMITA (Achieving Sports Milestone by Inspiring Women).
“For me, India should win a medal and it shouldn’t be about me or someone else. As long as India is winning, in any sport, I am cheering,” she added.
Following her Olympic highs in Paris, Bhaker has had a quieter year, with the bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol at the Asian Championship being her notable achievement.
She praised India’s specially-abled shooters after Dhanush Srikanth clinched gold with a world record and Mohammad Vania bagged silver at the Tokyo Deaflympics. “Their fighting spirit is incredible. We learn so much from them,” she said.
Reflecting on ASMITA, Bhaker said the initiative can reshape rural mindsets about girls in sports. “Coming from a rural background, I faced issues about mentality. Initiatives like this will bring change. Women have done tremendously well in recent Olympics. It is high time we support them.”
Bhaker remains the first Indian athlete to win two medals in a single Olympic Games.
