Asian Games: Manu Bhaker returns empty-handed after four medal contests as India’s shooting campaign falls short in Hangzhou

NEW DELHI: Two-time Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker will return from the 2026 Asian Games without a medal after taking part in four events in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan – an unexpected result for one of India’s biggest medal hopes and another indication of how the shooting contingent is trying to match last year’s record.India won 22 shooting medals, including seven gold, at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. So far in Aichi-Nagoya, Indian shooters have won 12 medals, only one gold, with only five medal events remaining in the trap. Esha Singh’s silver in the women’s 25m pistol on Monday added to the tally, but the overall campaign lacked the gold medal gains India had hoped for.

Manu’s four-event campaign ends without a podium

Manu entered the Games as one of India’s top medal contenders after her historic double bronze at the Paris Olympics and recent strong international form. However, the 24-year-old player was unable to convert her four medal opportunities into a place on the podium.Her campaign began with the women’s 10m air pistol events. Manu qualified third for the individual finals with 579 points but finished fifth after scoring 181.1 in the medal round. India also narrowly missed out on a medal in the corresponding team event, finishing fourth.Asian Games full coverage | Medal Tally | ScheduleThe 25m pistol events offered another opportunity, but Manu missed out on the individual final after scoring 579-18x in qualifying to finish 11th. She then ended her campaign on Monday when India finished fifth in the 25m team event.The Indian trio of Esha Singh, Manu and Rahi Sarnobat scored 1727-56x. China won gold with 1743-68x, South Korea won silver with 1735-65x and Chinese Taipei won bronze with 1734-48x.Esha provided the bright spot as she won silver in the 25m individual final after a grueling shootout to give India another shooting medal.READ ALSO: 0 points! How a rare, inexplicable error cost India the 25m team medal

Shooting is still one of India’s biggest medal contributors, but gold’s comeback is lagging

Despite Manu’s disappointment, shooting at Aichi-Nagoya remains one of India’s most productive disciplines. The contingent has delivered 12 medals so far, but the haul includes only one gold, a stark contrast to the seven gold medals and a total of 22 shooting medals that India collected in Hangzhou.Manu arrived in Japan in good form. She won bronze at the 2026 ISSF World Championships in Hangzhou, while Esha won gold in the women’s 25m pistol at the same event. At the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Manu also won silver in the 10m air pistol mixed team event with Samrat Rana. She subsequently won an individual silver in the women’s 25m pistol at the Asian Shooting Championships.Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, acknowledged that her performance had fallen below the standards she had set for herself.“Manu’s performance was not up to her standards as she set a very high standard and expectation for the Indian fans. As per my expectations, her score must be more than 585; it should be more than 585 to 595. Today’s score was not enough…” he told IANS.He also questioned the circumstances surrounding Rahi Sarnobat’s key failure in the 25m pistol qualification.“Rahi was shooting very well but suddenly one shot didn’t show, which I think could be a technical glitch or something else.“But later the jury said that the shot went off the target, which I absolutely do not believe because Rahi is a very experienced shooter and it could be something else. Let the jury test what it is or else everything went well,” he added.With five medal events in the trap, India can still add to its shooting tally. But with the likes of Manu failing to convert multiple medal opportunities, the discipline’s overall performance in Aichi-Nagoya has so far fallen well short of the extraordinary returns from Hangzhou.