Asian Games 2026: Key takeaways from Manu Bhaker's fifth-place finish in 10m air pistol
Bhaker, along with Esha and Suruchi, finished fourth in the team event
When Manu Bhaker was in the women’s 10m air pistol final at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery on Wednesday, there was a real reason to believe she could walk away with a medal.
This wasn’t a shooter who is a double Olympic medallist, someone who had already proven, on the biggest stage there is, that she belongs in these moments.
Also Read: Asian Games 2026: India’s updated schedule for Day 5 (September 24)
Before we get to the final itself, it’s worth remembering exactly why the expectations were so high. Bhaker made history at the Paris Olympics 2024, winning an individual bronze in this very event (10m air pistol) and a second bronze in the mixed team event alongside Sarabjot Singh.
That made her the first and only Indian woman to win two medals at a single Olympic Games, a feat that turned her into one of the faces of Indian sport almost overnight.
So when qualification rounds got underway, nobody was surprised to see her name near the top. Bhaker shot her way to third place overall in qualifying, finishing with a score of 579 out of 600.
That put her comfortably among the favourites heading into the final, well clear of her Indian teammates Esha Singh, who finished fifteenth, and Suruchi Singh, who finished twenty-sixth and missed the final entirely.
Of the three Indian shooters in the event, Bhaker was the one who looked ready to fight for a medal.
Heartbreak for Manu 💔🇮🇳
— Khel Now (@KhelNow) September 23, 2026
Manu Bhaker finishes 5th in the Women's 10m Air Pistol Individual final at Aichi-Nagoya 2026.
She gave it her all! 🎯#AsianGames2026 pic.twitter.com/5vIiqaSmVa
A final that stayed close the whole way
Once the final began, Bhaker found herself locked in a tight battle with Cheng Yen-Ching of Chinese Taipei, the shooter who would go on to finish fourth. And “tight” is the right word.
This wasn’t a case of Bhaker falling badly behind at any stage. Cheng led by just 1.0 point after the first ten shots. By the midpoint of the elimination stage, that gap had barely moved, which shows the level of shooting.
It stretched slightly to around 1.1 points at one stage, then settled back down. By the time both shooters had fired eighteen shots each, the gap between them was 0.8 points. That was the moment Bhaker was eliminated, finishing on 181.1 to Cheng’s 181. 9.
RELATED: Manu Bhaker finishes fifth in 10m air pistol final; misses medal at Asian Games 2026
Where Manu Bhaker stood against the medallists
Further up the leaderboard, the level was exceptional. South Korea’s Choo Gaeun won gold with 246.3 points and set a new Asian Games record in the process.
China’s Shen Yiyao took silver with 241.3, and her teammate Jiang Ranxin won bronze with 221.6.
Cheng Yen-Ching, the shooter Bhaker was locked in battle with throughout, eventually finished fourth with 200.7, having taken two more shots than Bhaker before the match was decided.
Related: Asian Games 2026: Why did Manu Bhaker wear borrowed kit during the opening ceremony?
𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄. ✨
— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) September 23, 2026
Manu Bhaker opens up about handling pressure, learning from every shot and staying positive through the highs and lows of sport. 💙
Watch the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV… pic.twitter.com/BTZrLcXovr
A tough finish for a proven performer
It’s a difficult result to take, particularly for a shooter with Bhaker’s history. She has already shown at the Paris Olympics that she can deliver medals on the biggest stage.
What Wednesday showed is just how unforgiving these elimination finals can be. Bhaker was never far off the pace. She simply never had quite enough to close what was, throughout, a very small gap.
There is still a chance to put this one behind her. Bhaker is set to compete next in the 25m pistol event at these Asian Games, an event where she goes in as the defending champion.
Meanwhile, India also missed out on a medal in the women’s 10m air pistol team event on the same day. The Indian team finished fourth with 1719 points, tied with bronze medallists Vietnam, and lost out purely on a lower count of inner ten shots.
How close was Manu Bhaker to a top-four finish in the final?
Very close. She trailed fourth-place finisher Cheng Yen-Ching by margins between roughly 0.8 and 1.1 points throughout the final, and was eliminated just 0.8 points behind her after both had taken eighteen shots.
What was Manu Bhaker’s qualifying score?
She qualified third overall with 579 out of 600, ahead of both other Indian shooters in the event.
Does Manu Bhaker have another chance at a medal in Nagoya?
Yes. She is set to compete next in the 25m pistol event, where she is the defending champion.
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