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Manu Bhaker, who won two shooting medals at the Paris Olympics, will reportedly be the female flagbearer at the closing ceremony. read more
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Manu Bhaker won two bronze medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Reuters
Manu Bhaker, two-time Olympic bronze medallist, will reportedly be India’s flagbearer during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics. Citing sources from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), news agency PTI reported Bhaker will represent India as the women’s flagbearer for the event. The men’s flagbearer for the ceremony is yet to be decided.
Paris Olympics: News, schedule, medals tally and more
The closing ceremony is scheduled to be held on August 11.
“Yes, Manu has been chosen to be the flag bearer. She has done exceptionally well and deserves the honour,” an IOA official told PTI.
The 22-year-old had earlier said it would be an honour to be India’s as flag bearer. “There are many in the contingent who are more deserving but it will be a real honour, if I am asked to,” Manu had told PTI.
Bhaker had a remarkable performance in Paris, winning two bronze medals and setting multiple new records. She came close to making it three medals, bowing out in heartbreaking fashion.
The Paris Olympics have served as a redemption for the 22-year-old shooter. At the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, her gun malfunctioned during the 10m air pistol qualification round, which resulted in a significant loss of time. This left her with very little time to complete her shots, causing her to miss the top-eight finish needed to qualify for the finals, ultimately placing 12th.
Read | Behind Bhaker’s medal - chanting Gita and a familar face
At the ongoing Olympics, Bhaker kicked off India’s medal tally by finishing third in the women’s individual 10m air pistol event. She later teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to win a bronze medal in the mixed team 10m air pistol event.
Bhaker had the chance to achieve a historic third medal but narrowly missed out, finishing fourth in the women’s 25m pistol shooting event. This result prevented her from becoming the first Indian athlete to win three medals at a single Olympics.
Notably, Manu Bhaker has made history as the first athlete from independent India to win two medals in a single edition of the Olympics. Previously, Norman Pritchard was the only Indian to secure multiple Olympic medals, winning two silvers in the 1900 Games in Paris in the 200m and 200m hurdles.
Bhaker’s accomplishments place her among other distinguished Indian Olympians with multiple individual medals: PV Sindhu, who won a silver in badminton at Rio 2016 and a bronze at Tokyo 2020, and Sushil Kumar, who earned a bronze in wrestling at Beijing 2008 and a silver at London 2012.
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English (US) ·