Paris 2024 Olympics: Manu Bhaker finishes second in 25m pistol qualification to make third final

India’s Manu Bhaker advanced to her third final in the ongoing Summer Games after finishing second in women’s 25m pistol shooting qualification at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Friday.

Bhaker, already a two-time medallist at Paris 2024, finished with an overall score of 590. Veronika Major of Hungary took the top spot by equalling the Olympic qualification record of 592 which was achieved by Jingzing Zhang of the People’s Republic of China at Rio 2016.

The 22-year-old Bhaker, who has won two bronze medals in the women’s 10m air pistol and mixed team 10m air pistol events at the Paris 2024 Olympics so far, achieved a score of 294 in the precision round and 298 in the rapid round.

Esha Singh of India finished in 18th place with an overall score of 581. Only the top eight shooters qualify for the women’s 25m pistol final, which will be held on Saturday.

The women’s 25m pistol qualification event at the Chateauroux began with the precision round. Bhaker finished third in the precision round with a score of 294. The 22-year-old shot 97, 98 and 99 across the three series of the precision round.

Although Veronika Major of Hungary and Camille Jedrzejewski of France also had the same score, they occupied the top two places by the end of the precision round on account of hitting more inner 10s.

Major shot 15 and Jedrzejewski shot 13 inner 10s, while Bhaker had achieved it seven times.

Bhaker began the rapid round with a perfect 100 in the first series before shooting 98 twice in the following two series to finish with an overall score of 590. Major hit two 100s and a 98 in the rapid round to finish first and equal the Olympic qualification record.

Esha Singh was ranked 10th after the precision round with an overall score of 291. However, she failed to improve her performance in the rapid round. The 19-year-old shot 290 to finish 18th.