Abhijit Deshmukh from Chateroux
At the Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker’s dreams were derailed when her pistol malfunctioned during the 10m air pistol qualification. Losing 10 critical minutes, she was forced to switch to a backup gun, ultimately missing out on a spot in the finals. Many speculated that if Jaspal Rana, the legendary Indian shooter, had been her coach, the outcome might have been different.
Fast forward to the Paris Olympics, and Rana is now by Manu’s side as her personal coach. On a tense Saturday afternoon, as Manu prepared to start her event, Rana set up a tripod and camera to meticulously record her performance for training insights. However, officials promptly asked him to remove the equipment, disallowing any recording – even for training purposes.
As the qualification round began, Manu stood still for the first four minutes, an unusual calm before the storm. Then, with breathtaking precision, she launched into action, scoring an impressive 59 (5x) with her first six shots.
Rana monitored her scores closely through an app displaying detailed target information. He communicated with Manu through sign language, occasionally reminding her to breathe deeply or calm down. Unlike other shooters who frequently consulted their coaches, Manu maintained her focus, receiving guidance solely through Jaspal’s silent gestures.
With just five minutes remaining, Rana signalled “3” to indicate that Manu had three shots left. Remaining composed, she delivered scores of 10, 10, and 9. With a total score of 580 (27x), Manu clinched third place in the qualification round, securing her spot in the finals.
As Manu left the shooting range after securing a place in her first Olympic final, a triumphant smile spread across her face. Rana, on the other hand, remained composed, knowing the job was only half done. With fingers crossed for the final on Sunday, both seemed ready to take on the next challenge.