So Close, Yet So Far! Manu Bhaker Finishes Fourth In 25MM Pistol Final, Misses Olympic Hat-Trick

Manu Bhaker narrowly missed securing a third Olympic medal at the Paris Games, finishing fourth in the women's 25m pistol final.

The 22-year-old shooter, who had already made history by winning two medals in a single Olympic campaign, was edged out by Hungary's Veronika Major in a tense shoot-off for the bronze medal.

Photo Credit: PTI

Manu's Olympic journey in Paris has been nothing short of remarkable. She first clinched a bronze in the 10m air pistol event, and then teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to win another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event.

Her achievement of becoming the only Indian shooter to win two medals in a single Olympics was already historic, and she came tantalisingly close to adding a third.

In the 25m pistol event, Manu began strong, finishing second in the qualification stage to secure her spot in the final. The final itself was fiercely competitive, with each shooter required to complete three series of five shots in Stage 1, earning points only for shots scoring above 10.2.

Manu started the final with two points in the opening series, followed by two more solid series, propelling her into the top three.

She continued her impressive form with a near-perfect fifth series, raising hopes for yet another medal. However, despite her best efforts, she found herself tied for third with Hungary's Major Veronika after the seventh series.

In the shoot-off, Manu, who admitted to feeling nervous, managed only two points, while Major secured four, claiming the bronze medal and leaving Manu just shy of the podium.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on a third medal, Manu's performance in Paris has solidified her status among India's elite athletes, joining the ranks of PV Sindhu and Sushil Kumar as a two-time Olympic medalist.

Her success, alongside Swapnil Kusale's bronze in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions event, has been a beacon of hope for India's shooting contingent, who had drawn blanks in the previous two Olympic Games.