India’s teen shooter Manu Bhaker wins BBC’s Emerging Player of the Year award
Olympian Anju Bobby George was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement award while chess Grandmaster Koneru Humpy was the Sportswoman of the Year.
Tokyo Olympics-bound Indian shooter Manu Bhaker has been named as India’s Emerging Player of the Year by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
English cricket star Ben Stokes announced the 19-year-old Manu Bhaker as the winner during a virtual ceremony on Monday.
“It feels like my hard work has been recognised. It feels like people know about my hard work now,” Manu Bhaker, a former Youth Olympics champion, said addressing the ceremony.
Manu Bhaker has multiple International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF) World Cup gold medals to her name and in 2019, she won the gold medal at the ISSF World Cup Final in China.
Bhaker, also a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, is one of the 15 Indian shooters who has secured a quota place for the Tokyo Olympics.
Former Olympian and long jump star Anju Bobby George was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“I have been blessed with a fulfilling journey. The adversities I faced and overcame taught me that there is no substitute to hard work and perseverance. Anything is possible with the right motivation and willingness,” said Anju.
“I would like to tell every athlete across the globe that battling setbacks will only make you stronger. Never lose sight and always try to be a better version of yourself with every passing day,” she added.
Reigning women’s rapid world chess champion Grandmaster Koneru Humpy won the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2021 award, edging out the other nominees – Manu Bhaker, sprinter Dutee Chand, hockey player Rani Rampal and wrestler Vinesh Phogat.
The awards – given out on International Women’s Day– was started by the BBC last year. Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu won the inaugural BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award in 2020 while the legendary PT Usha was conferred with the Lifetime Achievement award.
The Emerging Player category is a new addition this year.