Jaspal sir

Asian Games: Manu Bhaker’s journey from a 16-year-old making her Asian Games debut to becoming one of India’s flag-bearers has given her a moment to reflect on how far she has come in sport. The double Olympic medallist, who will lead the Indian contingent alongside kabaddi star Pawan Sehrawat at the Asian Games opening ceremony here on Saturday, said the honour brought back memories of her early days in shooting.

“Honestly, when I got to know yesterday, I had all these flashback memories of my earlier days. And, you know, when I started, I never thought that this is where I could reach one day in my sport. So, it is definitely a very heartwarming feeling. I feel really proud, honoured, and happy to be chosen as the flag bearer of my homeland. I just want to say thank you to God and thank you to everyone for all the love and support,” Manu said in an IOA video.

Bhaker is competing at her third Asian Games, having first represented India at the 2018 edition in Jakarta and Palembang. Her recollection of her early Games experience also highlighted how demanding the schedule can be for shooters, with competitions often beginning soon after the opening ceremony.