In one of the most defining moments in modern Indian sports history, pistol phenom Manu Bhaker teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to clinch the Bronze Medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, defeating South Korea 16-10 in a nerve-shredding duel.
With this monumental victory, 22-year-old Manu Bhaker etched her name into sporting folklore as the first Indian athlete since Independence to capture two medals at a single Olympic Games, having earlier won bronze in the individual Women's 10m Air Pistol event.
Sarabjot Singh, who had narrowly missed the individual final on countback days earlier, bounced back with icy resolve. The Haryana marksman consistently fired 10.5+ shots throughout the bronze medal contest, complementing Manu's metronomic accuracy on the firing bay.
The Indian pair opened a 14-8 lead before holding off a late Korean counter-attack to seal the match 16-10, sparking jubilant celebrations among the Indian contingent and millions of shooting sports enthusiasts back home.
The historic double podium highlighted the success of India's target training programs and silenced years of Olympic heartbreak in shooting sports.
"To win two medals for my country at the Olympic Games was a dream born out of years of heartbreak and hard work. Sarabjot and I trusted each other shot by shot."
KEY HIGHLIGHTS & COMPETITION TAKEAWAYS
- 🎯 Manu Bhaker became the first Indian in independent history to win two medals at the same Olympic Games.
- 🎯 Partnered with Sarabjot Singh to defeat South Korea's Lee Won-ho and Oh Ye-jin 16-10 in the bronze medal match.
- 🎯 Followed Manu's individual bronze in Women's 10m Air Pistol, ending a 12-year Olympic shooting medal drought for India.
- 🎯 NRAI and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced comprehensive high-performance rewards.