Indian pistol shooter Manu Bhaker delivered a stellar performance in the 25m sports pistol qualification round on Friday, securing a place in the final and finishing second overall.
Aiming for her third Olympic medal, the 22-year-old showcased her skill by shooting a remarkable aggregate score of 590.
Bhaker’s precision was evident in the 'precision' round, where she scored an impressive 294, followed by an even more commanding performance in the rapid round, netting 296.
This put her just two points behind the leader, Hungary's Veronika Major, who equaled the Olympic record with a total score of 592 (294 and 298).
With this latest achievement, Bhaker continues to build on her Olympic success, having already claimed two bronze medals in the 10m women's air pistol and the 10m air pistol mixed team events alongside teammate Sarabjot Singh.
India has thus far dominated the shooting events at the Paris Olympics, with three medals secured in this discipline.
Swapnil Kusale added to the tally by clinching bronze in the men’s 50m rifle three positions on Thursday.
In other events, the Indian men’s hockey team has made a strong start against Australia, leading 2-0 at the end of the first quarter. Archers Subhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar are currently representing India in their respective events, while Anantjeet Singh Naruka competes in the men's skeet qualification.
As Day 7 of the Olympics progresses, the men's hockey team will look to maintain their momentum against Australia, seeking to rebound from previous setbacks.
Additionally, Lakshya Sen remains India’s sole representative in badminton, facing off against Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien Chen in the men’s singles quarter-finals.
The sixth day of competition presented a mixed bag of results for India. While Swapnil Kusale’s bronze added to the medal tally, disappointments abounded in several other events.
Anjum Moudgil and Sift Kaur Samra were unable to advance in the women’s 50m rifle three positions final, falling short of qualification.
In badminton, the tournament saw early exits for the highly regarded duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, along with PV Sindhu, who lost in the Round of 16 in the women’s singles.
Lakshya Sen, however, emerged victorious against HS Prannoy, ensuring Indian representation continued.
Athletics proved to be a tough battleground as Indian competitors faltered in both the men’s and women’s race walk finals. In archery, Pravin Jadhav was eliminated in the men’s individual Round of 32 clash.
The boxing ring brought more disappointment as Nikhat Zareen succumbed to a defeat against China’s Wu Yu in her women’s 50kg Round of 16 bout.
The men’s hockey team also faced challenges, suffering a 1-2 defeat against Belgium, reflecting the mixed fortunes of Indian athletes as the Paris Olympics continue.
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