‘Chak de’: Sarabjot Singh, Shooter Clinches Bronze at Paris Olympics 2024 with Manu Bhaker
'Chak de': Sarabjot Singh, Shooter Clinches Bronze at Paris Olympics 2024 with Manu Bhaker
Sarabjot Singh’s remarkable journey from disappointment to Olympic glory in the mixed team event
In a stunning comeback, Sarabjot Singh, alongside fellow shooter Manu Bhaker, secured a bronze medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the Paris Olympics 2024. This achievement came just days after Singh narrowly missed qualifying for the final in the men’s 10m pistol event on July 27.
Our shooters continue to make us proud!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2024
Congratulations to @realmanubhaker and Sarabjot Singh for winning the Bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event at the #Olympics. Both of them have shown great skills and teamwork. India is incredibly delighted.
For Manu, this… pic.twitter.com/loUsQjnLbN
Hailing from Dheen village in Ambala, Haryana, 20-year-old Sarabjot Singh’s journey is one of perseverance and passion. The son of farmer Jatinder Singh and homemaker Hardeep Kaur, Singh’s interest in shooting was ignited during childhood summer camps. However, it wasn’t until 2014 that he persuaded his father to allow him to pursue the sport despite financial constraints. This determination led to his first major success with a gold medal at the Junior World Championship in Suhl in 2019.
On July 30, Sarabjot Singh and Manu Bhaker made history by earning India its second medal at the Paris Games. They triumphed over the Republic of Korea with a decisive 16-10 victory in the final round at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre. The duo displayed exceptional skill, leading 4-2 after the third series and extending their advantage to 8-2 after the fifth. Despite a late comeback by South Korea, closing the gap to 10-6, Singh and Bhaker held steady to secure their bronze medal.
At 13, Sarabjot initially hoped to become a footballer. However, a summer camp at Ambala’s Bhagirath Public School, where he saw kids using air guns at a makeshift range, inspired him to pursue shooting. His father, despite concerns about the sport’s expenses, eventually supported his son’s passion.
This bronze medal marks Sarabjot’s first Olympic medal, while it is Manu Bhaker’s second of these Games. Bhaker became the first Indian athlete to win multiple medals at a single Olympic Games, having previously earned bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol event.
Reflecting on his earlier disappointment, Singh shared how he narrowly missed the men’s final by a single point, scoring 577-16x and finishing ninth in the qualification round. Despite the setback, he expressed determination to improve, stating, “I had an off day, but I will take this experience forward and work on my technique.”
Singh and Bhaker’s historic bronze medal highlights their resilience and determination, bringing pride to the nation and demonstrating that redemption is always possible with hard work and dedication.
