Manu Bhaker To Be India’s Flag-Bearer In Paris Olympics 2024 Closing Ceremony: IOA Sources

Manu Bhaker is the first-ever Indian female shooter to win an Olympics medal. She is also the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympics.

New Delhi: Double Olympic medallist in Paris, Manu Bhaker is set to become India’s flag-bearer at the Olympics 2024 Closing Ceremony on August 11, according to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) sources, reported news agency ANI on Sunday. Bhaker scripted history in Paris as she became the first Indian to win two Olympic medals in a single edition and also the first-ever female Indian shooter to win an Olympic medal.

The 22-year-old first bagged bronze in women’s 10m air pistol event before combining with Sarabjot Singh to win another bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event. She could have added a third to her cabinet had the Indian not finished fourth in the women’s 25m pistol final.

Although Bhaker is yet to be officially announced as India’s flag-bearer at the closing ceremony, the youngster said she will be over the moon if that happens. “It would be an honour of a lifetime. It would be such a privilege but whatever the IOA deems it, there are many Indian sportspersons who are much more deserving than I am,” Bhaker had said.

Bhaker admitted the fourth-place finish did leave her with a few aspects to work on as she now trains her focus on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “The match was a rollercoaster for me. (The) beginning was not so great but eventually I caught up with the others and I was trying my best. I was like ‘okay, just do your best, do your best, keep trying, keep trying each shot’,” she shared.

“Although in the last, I think the nerves got the better of me or what — I don’t know because I was trying but things were not going my way — and unfortunately for us it was a fourth (place) finish, but (then a) fourth finish is better than not even making it to finals,” she said. “I am definitely looking forward to overcoming this in the next cycle and let’s see how it goes for all of us,” Bhaker said.