Manu Bhaker: India’s Olympic Medalist Takes Aim at Another Major Milestone at Asian Games 2026

Few Indian shooters have experienced a rise as rapid and decorated as Manu Bhaker. From becoming a teenage world champion to winning two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Bhaker has established herself as one of the leading figures in Indian shooting.

Now, she heads into the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya with another opportunity to add to an already impressive international résumé. Bhaker is set to compete in the 10m Air Pistol and 25m Sport Pistol events, bringing extensive experience from Olympic, World Championship, World Cup, Commonwealth, and Asian Games competition.

Born on 18 February 2002 in Jhajjar, Haryana, Bhaker initially participated in several sports, including boxing, skating, tennis, and martial arts, before taking up shooting at the age of 14. Her transition proved transformative, and within a few years she had established herself as one of the country's most successful young shooters.

Bhaker announced herself on the international stage with a remarkable run at the 2017 National Shooting Championships, where she won nine gold medals. The following year, at just 16, she won gold in the 10m Air Pistol at the 2018 ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara. Her performances that year continued to attract attention. She won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the women's 10m Air Pistol and followed it with gold at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta in the same event.

Bhaker also became the first Indian woman shooter to win a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games, achieving the feat at Buenos Aires 2018.

Her junior career was equally prolific. She collected multiple medals at ISSF Junior World Cups and Junior World Championships, building the foundation for a successful senior career.

Paris 2024 changed the story

Bhaker's most significant achievements came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she became the first Indian athlete to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympics. She won bronze in the women's 10m air pistol and another bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event alongside Sarabjot Singh.

The individual medal made Bhaker the first Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal, while her two-medal haul placed her among the standout performers of India's Paris campaign. Her Olympic journey had also included a place in the 25m Sport Pistol final, making her presence across both events particularly significant.

Bhaker's medal collection extends well beyond the Olympics. She has won medals at the World Championships, World Cups, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Youth Olympic Games, and Asian Shooting Championships. At the 2023 Asian Games, she won gold in the 25m Sport Pistol team event. She also won gold in the 25m Sport Pistol at the 2022 Asian Shooting Championship, underlining her ability to compete successfully at the continental level.

Her World Cup record includes a gold medal in the 10m Air Pistol at Guadalajara in 2018 and further podium finishes in subsequent editions. She has also continued to perform at the highest level following Paris. At the 2026 ISSF World Cup in New Delhi, Bhaker won bronze in the 25m Sport Pistol. Her achievements demonstrate her versatility across both of her Asian Games events.

Bhaker's preparation for the Asian Games has also received substantial institutional support. According to her athlete profile, she is supported under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC). Her financial assistance during the Asian Games preparation cycle includes approximately ₹6.67 lakh under TOPS and ₹30.43 lakh under ACTC.

Her preparation program has included international exposure and specialized support. The athlete profile lists financial assistance for ammunition and weapon servicing, pellet and ammunition testing, and overseas training. She has also received support for a training stint in Lucza, Italy, in May 2026, alongside coaching and physiotherapy assistance.

Full Asian Games Coverage

Additional support has included technical training and grip-making and spare-parts assistance in Switzerland and Germany, highlighting the highly specialised nature of elite shooting preparation.

Bhaker will now return to the Asian Games stage, where she has already experienced success. Her 2018 Jakarta gold and 2023 Hangzhou gold in the 25m Sport Pistol team event provide a strong continental record, but the Aichi-Nagoya Games offer a fresh challenge. She will compete in both the 10m Air Pistol and 25m Sport Pistol events, which require different combinations of precision, consistency, and composure.

At 24, Bhaker already has Olympic medals, World Championship success, and Asian Games gold medals to her name. Yet her competitive journey continues to evolve.

For Indian shooting, her presence provides experience in a squad featuring several established and emerging shooters. For Bhaker herself, Aichi-Nagoya represents another chance to compete for India at a major multi-sport event.

Her journey from a teenager experimenting with multiple sports to an Olympic double medallist has already made her one of the defining Indian shooters of her generation.

Now, with another Asian Games campaign ahead, Manu Bhaker will once again take her position on the firing line, with the precision and composure that have become hallmarks of her career.