Exclusive/ 'It Was a Challenging Time': Manu Bhaker Reflects on Lessons Learned from Tokyo Olympics Failure

A malfunction in her pistol and the pressure of representing India on the biggest stage got to Manu Bhaker at the Tokyo Olympics, resulting in heartbreak and the shattering of dreams. Fighting the demons, the ace shooter returned with a purpose and hit the bullseye at the Paris Olympics. Manu Bhaker scripted history by becoming the first Indian to win two medals at a single Olympics event.

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Manu Bhaker On What the Tokyo Failure Taught Her

Enduring a setback and then gathering the courage to return makes up for a heroic comic book tale, Manu Bhaker on the contrary did it in the real world that too when the lights were the brightest and the stage was the biggest.  She stormed her authority in the 10m Air Pistol event, both individually and in the mixed team event with Sarabjot Singh. What changed in the last three years? Is what Republic World enquired in an exclusive interview with Manu Bhaker and got the fitting answer from the champion shooter.

She addressed the query and narrated what she learned while going through, what she considers was the "challenging time" of her life.      

"Leading up to Tokyo, I was confident and considered myself a strong contender. However, things didn’t go as expected, and I faced a lot of criticism. It was a challenging time in my life. I realized that, in reality, nobody truly cares whether you're doing well or not. When you're successful, people will support you, but they will also criticize you. The key is to stay resilient through both highs and lows. What matters in the long run is your family and friends. This experience taught me a valuable lesson. Now, I am happier and more focused on enjoying every moment. I know I can achieve more, and I’m committed to doing so while appreciating the journey."