There was a group hug after the final as Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, and coach Munkhbayar Dorjsuren had tears in their eyes at the Chateroux.
Each of those three had a different reason to get emotional.
For Sarabjot, the moment was euphoric in nature after his heartbreak in the individual qualification event due to one less inner 10 in his score.
As for the two-time Olympic medalist Munkhbayar, the moment was reminiscent of her own victories on this stage.
And finally, for Manu Bhaker, the tear rolling down her cheek was indicative of relief and redemption.
Indian shooting’s watershed moment
Probably one tear doesn’t define and describe the grandeur of the moment but this bronze is a watershed moment in Indian shooting.
In the 128-year history of shooting in the Olympics, this is the first time that an Indian woman shooter has won two medals in the same edition.
Additionally, Manu became the first-ever athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single Olympics games, a first in 77 years of history.
“I feel proud and grateful that I was able to do this and it’s a blessing honestly. Thank you so much for all the blessings and love,” Manu said to the official broadcaster after her historic win.
Trolled incessantly for performing poorly at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Manu Bhaker has replied to all the criticism, and that too in a way that very few could have imagined.
Imagine going as an 18-year-old to the Olympics with the expectations of more than a billion fans on your shoulders, the best can crack under pressure.
The trolling took a toll on her and in more ways than one.
“I am so grateful to win two medals. Please don’t be angry with me if I can’t win another,” Manu told Sportstar after winning her second medal.
The statement is a testament to the impact of the criticism that came her way following the Tokyo Olympics debacle.
Then how did the youngster manage to bounce back and create history?
The answer is a singular word, ‘Audacity’!
‘Doing my job’
“There is no guidebook to deal with failure. I have coped with everything that happened after the Tokyo Olympics and I think it is just part and parcel of the journey I chose for myself,” Manu told The Bridge during the Olympic shooting trials in Bhopal two months back.
“The only guidebook for me is to look at the strength I have and focus on what I can do. I can’t control the outcomes, so I do my job,” said Manu, who picked the knowledge from Bhagwad Gita.
The stoic shooter has also learned to let go of things to function in a better way.
“Earlier, I used to hold on to everything for long. Be it my failure or my success. With time I have realized that nothing is permanent,” said Manu.
And it is that very formula that she has applied to shut the noise that would troll and question her abilities on social media and in real life.
“I know people will forget it over some time. They will forget about my failures and my successes too. So, why should I hold onto everything,” quipped Manu.
And she was right about her formulae.
Everything is now forgotten and there is only one thing that is relevant at the moment, it is the reflected glory of her audacity that kept her immune from falling into oblivion.
As the country basks in the joy of another Olympic medal, Manu prepares herself for another shot at history – three medals in one single edition of the Olympics for India.