NEW DELHI: Indian shooter Manu Bhaker admitted she had “mixed feelings” after winning bronze in the women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun World Cup in Hangzhou, China. While happy with her progress, the Olympic medalist said she believes she can do even better.“Another bronze. I have mixed feelings about it. I’m glad I was able to improve my performance, but at the same time, I know I could have done better,” Bhaker wrote on X.She added: “What makes me happy is to see that the hard work is showing. There is still a lot of room for improvement, and this is what keeps me motivated. One step at a time.”Bhaker also thanked those who supported him, saying, “Big thanks to my team, my family, and each and every one of you for the unwavering love and support, it means the world to me.”
India shines in women’s 25m pistol
India enjoyed a memorable outing in the event as Esha Singh won the gold, while Bhaker took the bronze to complete a double podium finish. Esha dominated the final with 40 hits, while Bhaker survived a crucial shoot-off before finishing with 28 hits to secure third place.The pair had already impressed in qualifying, with Bhaker topping the leaderboard with 586-20x and Esha finishing second with 585-18x to comfortably qualify for the final. Rahi SarnobatSimranpreet Kaur Brar and Abhidnya Ashok Patil also gave solid performances.The gold medal marked another milestone for 21-year-old Esha Singh. Earlier this season, he set the senior and junior world record with 43 wins in the final at the ISSF World Cup in Munich. Meanwhile, Bhaker’s bronze also highlighted his consistency after becoming India’s first independent athlete to win two medals in a single Olympic Games in Paris 2024.