‘I am really sorry’ – Manu Bhaker responds after missing out on 10m air pistol medals at Asian Games 2026

Bhaker will also be in action in the women’s 25m pistol event

India’s star shooter Manu Bhaker endured a medal-less day at the ongoing Asian Games 2026 on Wednesday, after missing out on podium finishes in both the women’s 10m air pistol team and individual events.

The Indian women’s 10m air pistol team, consisting of Bhaker, Esha Singh, and Suruchi Singh, finished fourth in the team final, missing out on a medal.

Also Read: Manu Bhaker finishes fifth in 10m air pistol final; misses medal at Asian Games 2026

Bhaker then returned for the individual final, but the two-time Olympic bronze medallist could only manage a disappointing fifth-place finish.

She had finished third in qualification, scoring 579-20x, to enter the finals. Despite remaining in medal contention during the elimination stages of the final, she finished fifth with a score of 181.1.

This performance drew strong criticism from India’s pistol and High-Performance coach Ronak Pandit, who termed it “unpardonable”.

Related: Asian Games 2026: Key takeaways from Manu Bhaker’s fifth-place finish in 10m air pistol

Manu Bhaker shares positive outlook

Despite the strong words from her coach, Bhaker herself opted to remain positive after missing out on two potential medals to add to her already burgeoning medal tally, which includes a 25m pistol team gold medal at the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games.

Speaking to the official broadcasters after her event, Bhaker expressed regret at missing out on the podium but said that she had made significant strides in her 10m air pistol performance.

“The qualifications were a challenge. I was really positive, but also I was very nervous. But I am really sorry that I was not able to make it to the podium today,” she told Sony.

“For the final, also, I genuinely tried my best. I was trying every shot every time, and it didn’t work out (well) enough to win a medal today.”

“I genuinely feel that I have improved a lot in terms of my 10 metre performances,” she added. “In qualification as well as in the final, I feel that there have been significant improvements, and I really hope that I can keep improving every time and in every competition so that the final results are better.”

Despite her poor performance, Bhaker’s campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games has not ended yet. She, along with Esha Singh, will compete in the women’s 25m pistol event. Suruchi Singh, on the other hand, will return for the 10m air pistol mixed team event.

Also Read: Asian Games 2026: India’s updated schedule for Day 5 (September 24)

Bhaker remembers coach Jaspal Rana

Manu Bhaker also took the opportunity to remember her long-time coach Jaspal Rana, who died at the age of 49 in June 2026 after suffering cardiac complications.

The pair had worked together for almost six years, including during Bhaker’s historic double medal-winning performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“It is devastating (losing Jaspal Rana). He was the Asian champion who was the best of the best in the Asian Games. So we were really looking forward to Japan,” Bhaker said.

“I think the beautiful part of life is that you appreciate who you still have, the people who are with me and support me every single day. I’m really grateful and thankful for that, and I am always looking at the positive side.”

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