PARIS OLYMPICS: Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh Win India's First-Ever Team Medal in Shooting

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Indian shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarbajot Singh won a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the Paris Olympics. They beat the Korean team of Wonho Lee and Jin Ye Oh with a score of 16-10.

This win is special for many reasons. It is India's second medal at the 2024 Olympics. More importantly, it makes Manu Bhaker the first Indian woman to win two medals in one Olympics. She had already won a bronze medal in the women's 10m air pistol event earlier in the games. 

The match was very exciting. At first, the Indian team had a slow start. Korea won the first round with a score of 20.5 to 18.8. But Bhaker and Singh didn't give up. They fought back hard in the second round. Bhaker shot a 10.7 and Singh got a 10.5, beating Korea's 19.9. From there, the Indian team kept getting better. They won more rounds and soon had a big lead of 10-4. Korea tried to catch up, but India was too strong. Even when Bhaker had one bad shot, Singh helped the team stay ahead.

The last few rounds were tense. Korea won two rounds in a row, making the score 14-10. But in the final round, Bhaker and Singh stayed calm. They scored 19.6, enough to win the bronze medal. This win is a big moment for Indian sports. It shows that India is getting better at shooting events in the Olympics. Bhaker's two medals are proof that Indian women athletes can compete with the best in the world. 

The victory also ends a long wait for India in Olympic shooting. Before Bhaker's first medal, India hadn't won a shooting medal at the Olympics for 12 years. Now, with two medals in one Olympics, Indian shooting looks to have a bright future. Bhaker and Singh's teamwork was key to their success. They supported each other throughout the match, especially when one of them had a difficult shot. Their coach praised their focus and hard work, saying it paid off when it mattered most. 

As India celebrates this historic win, many hope it will inspire more young people to take up shooting as a sport. The government has promised more support for shooting, including better training facilities and equipment. With this bronze medal, India's performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics is off to a good start. Sports fans across the country are now eagerly waiting to see if more Indian athletes can bring home medals in the coming days.