Looking for progressive growth leading up to Asian Games: Manu Bhaker

Manu Bhaker

India's two-time Olympic medal-winning pistol shooter Manu Bhaker believes the NRAI-organised Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship in New Delhi (February 2 to 14) will serve as vital preparation for the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (September 19 to October 4).

"I'm really looking forward to the Asian Championship, since it's on our home turf. I'm really excited to perform in front of my family and friends. I have really prepared well for it. This competition is very important as I'm looking for progressive growth throughout the year, in the lead-up to the Asian Games. The performance here will show me where I stand in terms of technique, and that will help me figure out what sort of changes I need to make moving ahead. I'm confident that not just me, but all the Indian shooters will do a good job," Bhaker said during a virtual media interaction on Thursday, organised by FanCode, who will be broadcasting the Asian Rifle/Pistol Championship on the FanCode app and website.

Bhaker, 23, was rather off-colour in 2025 after the highs of securing a double bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Despite winning three bronze medals (including one in the individual 10m air pistol) at the Asian Championships in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, Bhaker failed to find a spot on the podium in the subsequent World Championships in Cairo, Egypt, and the ISSF World Cup Final in Doha, Qatar.

Reflecting on last year, the Haryana-born shooter, who has won 10 medals at the ISSF-organised Asian Championships (including four gold medals), said: "I felt I was in decent form through most of the year and had some good matches, but the podium finishes were comparatively lower [than previous years]. So, I'm hoping that changes this year, and I will try my best to do so."