NEW DELHI: Rahul Dravid, a cricketing icon well-versed in dealing with high-pressure situations and living up to expectations, praised Manu Bhaker on Sunday for her remarkable comeback at the Olympics.
Despite a disappointing debut at her first Games, Bhaker displayed resilience and determination to secure a historic bronze medal in the current edition.
By placing third in the 10m air pistol competition, Bhaker etched her name in history as the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. Her achievement not only kicked off India's medal tally in the ongoing Games but also brought an end to the country's 12-year drought in shooting.
Dravid expressed his admiration for the 22-year-old's accomplishment, recognizing the significance of her triumph and the challenges she had to overcome to reach the podium.
"Manu's story is incredible after the disappointment of Tokyo Olympics, to come here and be able to get over that and compete and win a bronze is a phenomenal achievement," Dravid said, as quoted by PTI, during a panel discussion at India House.
"It's lovely to come on a day that's special for Indian sports. These kinds of achievements takes years of sacrifice, take a lot of hardwork, resilience and perseverance.
"We know how hard it is for a sportsperson and what they go through and so much depends on just these few days," Dravid said of the athletes competing at the world's biggest sporting event.
Bhaker faced a setback during the Tokyo Olympics when her pistol malfunctioned during the qualification round. The incident left her deeply disappointed and disheartened.
Dravid added, "In lot of their lives, I can imagine the pressure that involves in all these sports because this is the pinnacle of their sports. It doesn't get bigger than this and for her to be able to do that, truly a great day for Indian sports. What an inspiring story for so many back home."
Bhaker, a native of Jhajjar, Haryana, secured the bronze medal with a score of 221.7 after a tough battle at the age of 22. The gold was clinched by Korea's Jin Ye Oh, who set a new Games record with a score of 243.2, while her teammate Kim Yeji settled for the silver, scoring 241.3.
Regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the game, Dravid recently guided India to victory in the T20 World Cup as the team's head coach. Following this achievement, he handed over the reins to Gautam Gambhir, his former colleague in the national team.
Dravid is currently in Paris to participate in a panel discussion titled "Cricket at the Olympics: Dawn of a New Era," which celebrates the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu’s inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment