Shooter Manu Bhaker, a key medal hope for India in the Tokyo Olympics, will give her college exams in the middle of preparing for a shooting event.
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Manu Bhaker is currently in Zagreb, Croatia as she prepares for the European Championships – a shooting event which India are guest invitees in. However, she is also preparing for another important event – her college exams.
Yes, one of India’s biggest medal hopes is not only preparing for the Olympics but must also clear her political science papers. And according to Bhaker herself, she is not worried about this in the slightest.
“I will manage both, as I have done in the past. At least I don’t have competition on days I have my papers, so it’s manageable,” Bhaker told PTI.
Her family consider studies to be very important for the young shooter. That being said, shooting is the number one priority for one of India’s biggest medal hopes at Tokyo.
“This is the year of the Olympics and I am fully focussed on how to give my best and do my country proud,” said Bhaker. She is a gold medallist at the Youth Olympics, ISSF World Cup and Commonwealth Games.
Her father, Ramkishan Bhaker, added, “She is very serious about her studies. But if there is a clash between her competition and exams, then she chooses sports.”
The 19-year-old Bhaker will take part in three events for Olympics. The Olympics is set to be held from July 23 to August 8. She will take part in the women’s 25m pistol, teaming with the experienced Rahi Sarnobat.
She will also be part of the 10m air pistol event with Yashaswini Singh Deswal. But that isn’t all. Bhaker will also represent India in the mixed team 10m pistol with Saurabh Chaudhary.
After the continental event, the Indian shooters will compete in the ISSF World Cup, slated to be held in same city, Osijek, from June 22 to July 3.
The 13 Olympic-bound Indian shooters, seven coaches, five physios and two-member video crew landed in Zagreb in a chartered flight on Tuesday.
They were then received by the Croatian shooting federation and the country’s world number three rifle shooter Peter Gorsa.
