It has been a hectic season, but Olympian Manu Bhaker was happy to finish it on a strong note in the National championship in Bhopal.
Quite relaxed during a media interaction on Wednesday, Manu said she was “not really flattered” by her performances. Instead she was satisfied with her “brilliant” fare in the final of 25-metre sports pistol and the “world class” qualification score in air pistol, in the national championship.
Manu swept the gold medals in both the women’s and junior events of sports pistol, but had to be content with the junior gold in air pistol.
Conceding that the season was “up and down” after the initial struggle, the 20-year-old Manu said she was happy to have managed to make the finals and win medals.
She was particularly pleased to be among the elite in the country, despite the massive growth of shooting sport. “When I shot my first national championship, I remember the overall number was 430 girls including all categories. This time it was 12,000 in pistol alone”, said Manu, agreeing it is relatively easy to win the Olympic quota than making the national team.
“We are among the elite in the world. We will get the Olympic quota places”, said Manu, expressing confidence that it would be a mere matter of time before the national team secured all possible Olympic quota for the Paris 2024 Games.
India has already won three Olympic quotas through Bhowneesh Mendiratta (trap), Rudrankksh Patil (air rifle) and Swapnil Kusale (rifle 3-position) in the World Championships.
Looking at the world class infrastructure set up by the Madhya Pradesh Academy in Bhopal, Manu was excited about having the next World Cup there in March, instead of Delhi.
There will be two earlier World Cups in Jakarta and Cairo for rifle and pistol, in January and February next year, offering the Olympic quota places.
Categorically stating that she enjoyed shooting and did not feel it to be a burden, Manu smilingly said that she was taking days off whenever required.
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