Manu Bhaker arrived in Delhi on Wednesday, August 7 flashing her two Olympic bronze medals in the national capital as the country greeted and hailed her stellar performance at the summer games in Paris.
Manu Bhaker won bronze in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol and the 10m Air Pistol Mixed team event.
The 22-year-old double bronze medallist is also the first to win two Olympic medals in a single edition. The star pistol shooter was welcomed by hundreds of supporters and her family, who welcomed her with a memorable reception at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).
The Air India flight (AI 142) carrying the 22-year-old shooting star landed in Delhi at around 9:20 am after a delay of an hour. Her coach Jaspal Rana was among the hundreds of people eagerly waiting for the Olympic star.
Upon her arrival she said, “I am so happy to get so much love here,” reported ANI. The athlete was greeted with celebratory dhol, bouquets and garlands, soon after she turned out from the airport's exit.
“It feels great the way I was welcomed at the airport and the hotel. I am very happy that the people of the country are supporting me like this. I have brought home 2 medals and a lot of inspiration and motivation to work harder in the future,” ANI quoted the 22-year-old athlete as saying. She added, "At the time of the event, I was only thinking about my game and not about the medal. I could not eat Indian food for a long time but after coming here to Delhi, I had aloo paratha."
On its official social media handle on platform X (formerly Twitter), the IGIA posted pictures of staff with Manu Bhaker and stated, “Welcoming the pride of India, Manu Bhaker. Congratulations on winning bronze medals in women's 10m air pistol events (individual & mixed) in #ParisOlympics.Here's to celebrating your success and the inspiring journey ahead!”
In the 10m air pistol mixed team event, Manu Bhaker paired with Sarabjot Singh scripted Olympic history for the country.
Until Manu Bhaker's recent victory, only British-Indian athlete Norman Pritchard had manged to secure the rare landmark for the country. Norman Pritchard had won two silver medals in 200m sprint and 200m hurdles at the 1900 Olympics in the pre-Independence era.
Former Uttarakhand Sports Minister and Jaspal Rana's father, Narayan Singh Rana, said, "It is a matter of pride for us that a daughter of India is coming back after creating history by winning two medals in an Olympics. It has never happened before. She is only 22 years old," reported PTI.
(With agency inputs)
