Manu Bhaker

Manu Bhaker emerged as one of India's most promising shooting talents when she won a silver medal at the Asian Junior Championships, 2017. In 2018, Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the youngest Indian to win a gold medal at the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico. The 2018 Commonwealth Games added another feather to Manu's cap. She set a new Games record by scoring 240.9 points in the women's 10m air pistol event, earning her a gold medal at the age of 16.   

Manu continued to shine at the Youth Olympics 2018, where she became the first Indian shooter and the first female athlete from India to win a gold medal in the women's 10m air pistol event. She also triumphed at the National Games in Kerala, securing nine gold medals and surpassing the record of multiple World Cup medalist Heena Sidhu with a score of 242.3 points.

This young Olympian's journey in sports began with diverse interests, including tennis, skating, boxing, and the martial art 'thang ta', in which she excelled at the national level. Her transition to shooting at the age of 14, post the 2016 Rio Olympics, marked the beginning of a remarkable career. 

She also won another gold in the 10-meter Air Pistol mixed team event alongside Om Prakash Mitharval. Their combined score of 476.1 points secured their victory over Sandra Reitz and Christian Reitz.

In 2019, Manu Bhaker maintained her winning streak by securing gold in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup in Delhi. Her consistent performances earned her a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, despite a setback when her pistol jammed during the finals of the 25m pistol event in Munich.