Bhaker's Determined Performance Earns Her a Place in the Final
In Short:
- Qualifying Success: Bhaker secures third place with a score of 580.
- Olympic Ambitions: Bhaker aims to win an Olympic medal.
- Men's Qualifying Results: Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Singh Cheema finish outside the top eight.
- Mixed Rifle Team Eliminated: Indian teams unable to advance in the 10m air rifle event.
Manu Bhaker, a confident and skilled shooter, delivered a stellar performance in the 10m women's air pistol qualifiers at the Olympic Games, securing a spot in the final with a score of 580. This achievement comes after a disappointing start by her fellow Indian shooters. Bhaker, determined to move past her underwhelming debut in Tokyo, showed exceptional skill and focus.
In the qualifiers, Bhaker consistently performed well, starting with 97 points in the first series and maintaining her form throughout. Despite a minor setback in the fifth series, she successfully advanced to the final. In contrast, her compatriot Rhythm Sangwan finished 15th with a score of 573.
The men's 10m air pistol event saw Sarabjot Singh and Arjun Singh Cheema unable to make it to the finals, with Sarabjot finishing ninth and Arjun 18th. The mixed rifle event also ended in disappointment, as Indian teams failed to qualify for the finals, with Ramita Jindal and Arjun Babuta finishing sixth and Elavenil Valarivan and Sandeep Singh ending 12th.
China dominated the mixed rifle event, ultimately winning the first gold medal of the Games. Despite the setbacks, Bhaker's performance stands out as a beacon of hope for Indian shooting at the Olympics.