Manu Bhaker secures India’s 7th Olympic quota in shooting

Young shooter Manu Bhaker secured India its seventh Olympic quota with a fourth-place finish in the women’s 10m air pistol event of the ISSF World Cup here Wednesday, putting the disappointment of pistol malfunction in her earlier event behind.

The 17-year Bhaker shot 201.0 in the final to secure the quota for the Tokyo Games.

Winner of multiple medals at top global events, Bhaker finished third in qualification with a total of 582 points (28 x inner 10s), shooting a solid 98 in her last two rounds.

On Monday, Bhaker suffered a heartbreak as she missed out on the podium after a weapon malfunction saw her slip to fifth spot after leading the field.

This is India’s first quota in women’s 10m pistol.

Saurabh Chaudhary and Abhishek Verma won quota places in men’s 10m air pistol at the World Cups in Delhi and Beijing respectively.

Yashaswini Singh Deswal, a junior World Cup winner, was also on course to make the final before a poor series of 92 in the final set saw her slip to 22nd with a total of 574 (17 x inner 10s).

Heena Sidhu, the third Indian in the fray, was placed 45th with a total of 570 (13 x inner 10s).