Ram Krishna Bhaker, A Chief Engineer in Merchant Navy elated with joy when his daughter , Manu Bhaker, still only 16 years of age, grabbed the women’s 10m air pistol gold medal at the 21st Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Sunday.
India’s teen shooting sensation, Manu Bhaker, shot a record 240.9 to clinch the title. When Manu Bhaker asked her father to get her a pistol, one month after talking up the sport, Ram Kishan Bhaker, a chief engineer in the Merchant Navy, wondered if the investment of Rs 1.5 lakh would be really worth it. On Sunday, she showed she had made the right decision by taking up shooting.
Her proud father Ram Kishan Bhaker on Sunday said he was confident of his daughter's success.
Delighted at the 16-year-old's feat, the senior Bhaker said Manu was always never in the habit of returning empty-handed from any competition.
"It is easy to boast after a win. But the truth is she never returned empty-handed from any tournament, whether it be the school or national level," Ram told IANS.
"Before leaving for Gold Coast, I asked her to enjoy her game and not worry about the result. Winning and losing are part of any sport," he said.
Opening up on his plans of celebrating the gold medal effort, Ram said: "There will be grand celebrations once Manu returns to her native in Goria, Haryana."
Delighted at the 16-year-old's feat, the senior Bhaker said Manu was always never in the habit of returning empty-handed from any competition.
"It is easy to boast after a win. But the truth is she never returned empty-handed from any tournament, whether it be the school or national level," Ram told IANS.
"Before leaving for Gold Coast, I asked her to enjoy her game and not worry about the result. Winning and losing are part of any sport," he said.
Opening up on his plans of celebrating the gold medal effort, Ram said: "There will be grand celebrations once Manu returns to her native in Goria, Haryana."
What makes her performance impressive is that two years ago she had not even taken up pistol shooting. “On April 28, it will be two years since I took up shooting,” Manu says.
Bhaker’s meteoric rise has popularised the sport of shooting in the village of Goria in Haryana, where she was born. Father, Ram Krishna Bhaker has described Manu as ‘very competitive’ and ‘one who hates to lose’.
The Jhajjar-born Manu Bhaker was a picture of composure, one of the traits developed during long hours under pistol legend Jaspal Rana’s tutelage. She blew the opposition away with impeccable shooting in the qualifying and followed that up with similar calm in the 24-shot final. It was only after the golden deal was sealed that she allowed a vestige of emotion to show on her face.
“I am very happy... it is my first Commonwealth Games and I won with a qualification record also. The gap between me and the second competitor, that was a huge margin. So it was a pleasure winning this medal for India and I am very, very happy,” Manu said after the event.
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