Shooter Manu Bhaker shines at Oly selection trials in Bhopal

BHOPAL: Manu Bhaker, a young and talented Indian shooter, has once again proved her mettle by emerging as the most successful athlete at the first Olympic Selection Trials (OST) Rifle/Pistol held at the MP State Shooting Academy (MPSSA) ranges here.

The former Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympics, and Universiade champion, Manu showcased her exceptional skills and consistency throughout the trials held at the MP State Shooting Academy (MPSSA) ranges on Sunday. On the final day of the trials, Manu clinched victory in the women's 10M Air Pistol OST T4 match, marking her fourth win in the trials. She competed in two events, the other being the women's 25M Pistol, and dominated both with her outstanding performance. In the OST T4 air pistol final on Sunday, Manu scored an impressive 240.8, outshining her nearest competitor, the reigning Asian Games champion Palak, by a significant margin of 4.4 points. Rhythm Sangwan secured the third position in the event.

The trials witnessed several other exciting finals on the same day. Elavenil Valarivan, another Tokyo Olympian like Manu, put up a remarkable show at the MPSSA ranges earlier in the day. She emerged victorious in the women's 10M Air Rifle OST T4 with a score of 254.3, surpassing the current world record set by China's Han Jiayu in Baku this month by 0.3 points. Ramita and Mehuli Ghosh secured the second and third positions, respectively, with scores of 253.3 and 230.3.

OST concludes on a victorious note
In the men's category, Divyansh Singh Panwar clinched the men's air rifle OST T4 title with a score of 253.3.

Arjun Babuta and Rudrankksh Patil claimed the other podium positions with scores of 250.0 and 229.5, respectively. The men's 10M Air Pistol OST T4 final saw Ravinder Singh emerge victorious with a score of 242.2, followed by Varun Tomar and Sarabjot Singh in second and third places, respectively.

The Olympic Selection Trials, which comprised a total of 32 trial matches evenly distributed across eight individual Rifle and Pistol Olympic events, have now concluded. The initial two trials were held at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting range in New Delhi, after which the caravan moved to Bhopal for the remaining matches.

The likes of Manu Bhaker, Elavenil Valarivan, Divyansh Singh Panwar, and others have inspired countless aspiring shooters to pursue their dreams.

The focus now shifts to the upcoming International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup Rifle/Pistol, scheduled to take place from May 31 to June 8, 2024, in Munich, Germany.


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