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Former Indian captain and coach Rahul Dravid has lauded Manu Bhaker for her exceptional mental fortitude in overcoming the trauma of the Tokyo Olympics and clinching a bronze medal at the Paris Games.
Bhaker’s journey to the podium has been marked by adversity. A heartbreaking pistol malfunction during her debut Olympic appearance in Tokyo had a profound impact on her confidence. On the brink of quitting, she found solace and support from her family and coach.
Rahul Dravid lavishes praises on Manu Bhaker
Speaking at India House in Paris, Dravid expressed his admiration for Bhaker’s resilience. “It’s incredible. After the disappointment of what happened in Tokyo. To come here and to be able to get over that. To come here and compete and win a bronze medal. It’s a phenomenal achievement. These kinds of achievement take years of sacrifice, lot of hard work, perseverance, resilience. I think we just know how hard it is for athletes, how much sacrifice they go through. How much pressure it involves for a lot of these sports, I can imagine,” he said as quoted by PTI.
Dravid emphasized the immense sacrifices and pressure athletes endure to reach the pinnacle of their sport.
Also READ: Indian cricket fraternity reacts to Manu Bhaker winning bronze medal at Paris Olympics 2024
‘What an inspiring story for so many young boys and girls across the country’: Dravid
The Karnataka stalwart further lauded Bhaker’s performance in the final, where she narrowly missed out on a silver medal.
“This is the pinnacle of their sport. It doesn’t get bigger than the Olympics for a lot of these athletes. For her, to be able to do that at this stage, to be able to put that performance under pressure. Congratulations to her. It’s truly a great day for Indian sport. What an inspiring story for so many young boys and girls across the country,” he added.
Manu’s bronze medal is not just a personal triumph but a historic moment for Indian shooting. Her victory serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for aspiring athletes across the nation.
