IMAGE: Manu Bhaker, a hugely experienced shooter who is only 22, is on course to win a record extending third Olympic medal in Paris. Photograph: Isabel Infantes / Reuters. The shooting range in Chateauroux has become Manu Bhaker's happy hunting ground and Olympic champions like Anna Korakaki and Nino Salkuvadze, who have observed the Indian sensation for quite some time, are not surprised by her sensational performance so far.
Bhaker, a hugely experienced shooter who is only 22, is on course to win a record extending third Olympic here after she qualified for the 25m pistol final by finishing a comfortable second on Friday.
She already has bronze medals in the 10m air pistol and 10m air pistol mixed team alongside Sarabjot Singh, making her the first Indian to bag two medals at the same Summer Games.
Korakaki, the 2016 Rio Olympics champion in 25m, has known Bhaker for a long time and is happy for her Indian rival.
"Not at all surprised because Manu is a superb talent. I've known her for many years. She's an excellent shooter. She's really a hard worker. I really admire her as a person and as a shooter as well," the 28-year-old from Greece told PTI.
"We have known her potential for many years now. She's showing really, really great skills in both disciplines (10m and 25m). She's a very kind girl. She's always very calm, very kind to everyone.
"And also as a shooter, she's... You can just tell because she was really young at the time (when she burst on to the scene in 2018). When you see a special talent, you can spot it," Korakaki, who had a forgettable outing at her third Olympics due to a lingering eye issue, told PTI.
Korakaki's gold in 25m pistol and bronze in 10m pistol came at the Rio Games when she was just 20-year-old.
Another Olympic champion, the 55-year-old Nino Salukvadze who won the 25m gold for USSR at 1988 Seoul Olympics before winning a 10m pistol bronze for Georgia at Beijing 2008, considers Manu a very clever shooter.
"Manu is a very clever shooter and all Indians are. 15-20 years ago not many Indians were visible at shooting events but slowly they have great progress. Their spirit must be very strong," said 55-year-old Salukvadze who made her 10th straight appearance at the Olympics.
