"Competitions Are...": Manu Bhaker Breaks Silence On Return To Action After Khel Ratna Award

After being felicitated with the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India's two-time Olympic medalist shooter Manu Bhaker said that she has been training for the last two and a half months regularly and would be in action in competitions starting at month-end and the next month. Double Olympic medalist Manu, World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, Indian men's hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh and Para Athlete Praveen Kumar were awarded the prestigious Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award by the President of India, Draupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Friday.

Speaking to ANI, Bhaker said, "It is an honour to receive the Khel Ratna. It is one of the biggest honours in the country. This will inspire me to work harder in the future and win more medals for the country."

On her return to competitions, she added, "I have been training for the last two and a half months regularly. Competitions are coming end of this month and next month."

Bhaker opened India's medal tally in the Olympics after she secured third place in the women's individual 10m air pistol event, becoming the first-ever woman shooter to win an Olympic medal for India. Following that, Sarabjot Singh and Bhaker won the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol (mixed team) event, which was India's first-ever shooting team medal.

In her final event, she narrowly missed out on the historic grand treble and finished fourth in the women's 25m pistol shooting event. She missed out on the opportunity to become the first Indian to win three medals at the Olympics.

The young shooter's sweet redemption came after a disappointing Tokyo Olympics campaign in 2021, where a malfunction in her gun cost her a medal. During the 10 m air pistol qualification round