Manu Bhaker makes her mark at Lakme Fashion Week 2024
The Indian shooting star said the experience of walking on the ramp in a leather monochrome outfit made her ‘feel alive.’
Shooting
India’s Manu Bhaker, who won two bronze medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, made her mark on the ramp at the Lakme Fashion Week in New Delhi on Friday.
For the 22-year-old Indian shooter, used to the precision and focus of shooting, walking the runway brought a new kind of thrill.
“It was amazing and the experience was surreal. I was very nervous but it made me feel alive,” Manu told ANI.
At Paris 2024, Manu Bhaker made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win an Olympic medal in shooting, securing bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol.
Just days later, she teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to win bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event, making her the first athlete from independent India to win two medals at a single Olympic Games.
Swapping her shooting gear for high fashion, Manu made her debut on the runway in a chic leather monochrome outfit for Marks & Spencer.
For the two-time Olympian, the outfit hit all the right notes. “It (dress) goes straight with my personality. I prefer comfort and very easy styles that you can move in and walk around comfortably,” she said.
“I have always watched fashion shows on TV. The experience was very good and I will always take it with me,” Manu said while reflecting on her first-ever ramp walk at Lakme Fashion Week.
After winning two medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Manu Bhaker announced a three-month break from competitive shooting. This break also means that she will skip the ISSF World Cup Final starting in New Delhi on Sunday.
Indian shooters Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale, who also won bronze medals at Paris 2024, will not participate in the ISSF World Cup Final.