New Delhi: Manu Bhaker became the first medallist for India at Paris Olympics when she clinched a bronze in Women’s 10m Air Pistol at the Chatearoux Shooting Centre on Sunday.
She finished behind two South Korean shooters with a score of 221.7. Jin Ye Oh won the gold with a Games record of 243.2 while her compatriot Kim Yeji claimed the silver with a total of 241.3.
With this, the 22-year-old made her way into the history books as the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting, while also ending India’s 12-year drought for a podium finish in shooting at the Games. Gagan Narang had won a bronze in the 10m air rifle while his fellow marksman Vijay Kumar bagged silver in the 25m rapid fire pistol at London in 2012.
Manu is also the 1st woman shooter from India to reach an Olympic final in an individual event in the last 20 years and the fifth Indian to win a medal in shooting.
This win has come three years after she missed out on qualifying for the final of Tokyo Games in the same event due to a pistol malfunction.