THE LEGEND OF MANU NOW AND FOREVER

MANU Bhaker was standing in the sun for more than an hour, giving interviews to the assembled Indian media outside the shooting venue in Chateauroux after winning her individual bronze in 10m air pistol.

- INDRANEEL DAS

She had the 10m mixed qualifications a day later.

Manu doesn't have too many friends here. In the shooting team, they are colleagues, but not so close that they would spend time chatting and sharing experiences. She spends time in the village in her own solitude, and she quite likes it. After winning the second medal in the mixed team event in 10m air pistol along with Sarabjot Singh, she was there again. This time it was longer. The occasion demanded it. She had become the first sportsperson in independent India to win two medals in one Olympics. Yet she was a personification of humility and simplicity. This defines her; the calmness within, her capacity to not let success get into her head and the tenacity to recover and shoot again 10 points after 10.