Indian shooting ace Elavenil Valarivan settled for the bronze medal after leading for a good part of the women's 10m air rifle final on the first competition day of the ISSF World Cup in Munich on Tuesday.
The Union minister also fired a few shots at the new range.
The para-athletes outnumbered the able-bodied ones in the list this time due to the magnificent Paris Paralympics performance in which they returned with 29 medals, including seven gold and nine silver.
Manu Bhaker's father, Ramkrishna Bhaker, maintained a positive outlook.
A pistol malfunction during qualification at Tokyo Olympics had left Bhaker crestfallen. But three years later, she got redemption.
The national shooting federation NRAI chose current form over pedigree to pick the squad for the mega event and it will be hoping they hit the bullseye at the National Shooting Centre in Chateauroux.
Manu Bhaker narrowly missed out on the bronze medal as she finished fourth in the women's 25m pistol event, at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 8, Saturday, August 3, 2024:
While the USA also ended with seven medals, they edged ahead of India to take second place, courtesy of a higher gold-medal count.
Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker and Mirabai Chanu have joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative to combat obesity, emphasizing the importance of healthy lifestyle choices.
A look at India's schedule at the Paris Olympics on Monday, July 29, 2024:
A look at India's schedule at the Paris Olympics on Saturday, July 27, 2024:
Six Indian athletes found themselves agonisingly close to the podium, ultimately falling short.
A look at India's schedule at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, July 28, 2024:
India's bid to host the 2036 Olympics is not merely an attempt to make a statement internationally but also a well thought out plan to create world-class infrastructure, said Minister of State for Sports Raksha Khadse.
As per the official procedure, athletes have to submit bills within 15 days of the completion of a training or competition for which advance has been disbursed.
'Honestly, I've been off the social media and I have not been checking my phone, so I don't know what's going on. But I just know that I was trying my best and I was trying to deliver a good performance.'
Olympic champions like Anna Korakaki and Nino Salkuvadze, who have observed Manu are not surprised by her sensational performance so far.
Munkhbayar Dorjsuren's experience proved crucial for Bhaker and Sarabjot in the mixed team final where the shooters are allowed to take time-outs and speak to their coaches. Not only did she contribute with vital inputs but she was constantly egging Indian fans to cheer for the Indians.
From feeling hopeless to Olympic medal three days later, the changing fortunes of shooter Sarabjot Singh
This year's Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI was lit.
Abraham, 51, shared a picture with the Olympian and her medal on his Instagram page.
'Our conversations were usually brief and limited to 'Apna 100 per cent dena hai (we have to give our 100 per cent)'. Apart from that, we enjoyed some banter. Sometimes I would make fun of her, sometimes she would of me.'
The gigantic Stade de France resembled a concert hall hosting a party to celebrate the fortnight of sporting excellence as the breathtaking Closing Ceremony of the Paris Olympics kicked-off with athletes marching into the iconic stadium to thunderous applause in Paris on Sunday.
Jaspal Rana's contribution towards Manu Bhaker's remarkable transformation into a double Olympics medallist will not go unnoticed. The national shooting federation is mulling bringing the Dronacharya awardee coach back into its fold.
Check out Aditya Tiwari's unique approach towards creating awareness about traffic rules.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha on Monday said it is "deeply concerning" that the Executive Committee members failed to honour Olympic medallists and accused the Finance Committee of blocking funds intended to support Indian athletes' preparation for the Paris Games.
Bindra praised Manu for patching up with coach Jaspal Rana and for working in tandem for her success.
15-year-old Jonathan Antony stunned Paris Olympics bronze medalist Sarabjot Singh and national record holder Saurabh Chaudhary to win the 10m air pistol gold at the National Games.
Indian shooter Sift Kaur Samra won her first individual ISSF World Cup gold in the women's 50m rifle 3-positions final, while Esha Singh bagged a second individual World Cup silver in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Modi lauded the shooter for the manner in which she redeemed herself after the disappointment in Tokyo.
Rana hardly minced words as he questioned the federation's tendency to make last-minute changes to its policy, and its stubborn refusal to acknowledge or facilitate the presence of shooters' personal coaches at national camps and trials.
Six medals from a 117-strong contingent is not ideal but India had its moments of joy, hope, frustration, and heartache.
Neeraj Chopra hoped to compete with other prominent international names in India
At 22, Manu Bhaker has already become one of India's greatest athletes by winning two medals in the same Olympics.
Men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet, under whose leadership India won a second successive bronze medal at the Olympics, said the honour is a recognition of his "fascinating" journey in which he still has plenty more to achieve.
'There's significant interest from both existing and new sponsors who recognise the value of associating with Olympic athletes.'
'It is a beautiful portrait of Ek Bharat, Sreshth Bharat.'
Ramita Jindal ended seventh in the final of the 10m air rifle women's competition.
Except for shooting, a major Olympic sport, most of the top stars in other disciplines will give the National Games a miss.
