“Didi, where do get a pistol for cheap?” Manu Bhaker was candid on how life has changed after the double bronze winning feat at the Paris Olympics. She is still a child, who loves her aloo paratha, but doesn’t indulge a lot into those. She was yearning for the third medal all right, but she realises the importance of being realistic.
“I know how difficult it is to finish fourth,” said Manu at the Tata Steel Trailblazers 3.0 Conclave organised by RevSportz. “Indian shooters are brilliant. We are right there at top and we are naturally good at it. We are very sharp mentally. We must just keep focus and keep going at it,” Manu said in conversation with Boria Majumdar, the editor of RevSportz.
“I didn’t realise the importance of it when I won a Commonwealth Games medals for the first time. I was 16 years old. It was difficult for me to understand. Then, I realised. We can get to greater heights. We have the talent in our country. There are able coaches and athletes. We just have to make sure that we are investing in the right things.”
Manu has travelled a long distance. A precious talent who failed to fire at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, she became the first Indian to win two medals at a single edition of the Games last year. She is not only a sportsperson. She is an inspiration for millions. From humble beginnings to reaching the pinnacle of sports, it’s been an extraordinary journey.
“We can make a lot of changes. We women can do a lot of things. It’s a matter of changing how we think about certain things. Talent is not a problem. We need belief. And we have it. There are a lot of people making a big difference. Going ahead, we can do better. It’s not about the bronze. We can hear the national anthem on the biggest stage,” said Manu.