New Delhi, India, May 17, 2021: One of India’s brightest medal prospects for Tokyo 2020, shooter Manu Bhaker, has been juggling her training with studies at her hotel room in Zagreb, Croatia where the Indian Olympic shooting squad have flown for a two-month training camp and competition stint.
The day before she gets down to training in Croatia, Bhaker will log in for her BA fourth semester exam. The 19-year-old, a student of political science in the Delhi University’s prestigious Lady Shri Ram College for Women, has been preparing for exams which get underway on Tuesday, May 18 - two days before India compete as guests at the European Championships.
The continental tournament and Bhaker’s exams will run almost concurrently but she is relieved that the dates of her events are not clashing with the papers.
“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 said.
“This is the year of the Olympics and I am fully focused on how to give my best and do my country proud,” added Bhaker, a gold medallist at the Youth Olympics, ISSF World Cup and Commonwealth Games.
Bhaker has been selected for three events in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, from July 23–August 8. She will be fielded in her pet women’s 10m air pistol event, the 25m pistol and in the mixed team 10m pistol along with Saurabh Chaudhary.
After the continental event, the Indian shooters will compete in the ISSF World Cup, slated to be held in the same city Osijek, from June 22 to July 3.
India’s shooting contingent in Croatia includes 13 Olympic-bound shooters, seven coaches, five physios and a two-member video crew. They flew into Zagreb on a chartered flight last week.
Source: Press Trust of India
