Manu Bhaker becomes first Indian shooter to win gold at Youth Olympics
Manu Bhaker claimed India's first ever gold medal in shooting at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
The 16-year-old Bhaker shot 236.5 to finish on top of the podium in the women's 10m air pistol event, making up for the heartbreak at the Asian Games in Indonesia and the World Championship where she could not live up to her billing.
Russia's Iana Enina won the silver with 235.9, while Nino Khutsiberidze bagged the bronze medal.
Bhaker began the eight-woman final with a 10.0 and followed it up with a 10.1 and 10.4. She led the Stage 1 with 99.3 after a sequence that included seven scores of 10 and above.
#TiroDeportivo - Pistola de aire comprimido 10m mujeres#Shooting - 10m Air Pistol Women
Oro BHAKER Manu IND @ioaindia
Plata ENINA Iana RUS @Olympic_Russia
Bronce KHUTSIBERIDZE Nino GEO @ISSF_Shooting pic.twitter.com/1Tu0Fbdw58
Buenos Aires 2018 (@BuenosAires2018) October 9, 2018
Two 9.8 in the beginning of second stage (elimination) were followed by a 10.1 and 9.9, helping her maintain the lead over Thailand's Kanyakorn Hirunphoem by some distance.
The World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold medallist extended her domination in the following shots and looked to be on course for the yellow metal. She slipped once to the second place but quickly regained the top position.
Meanwhile, Russian Iana Enina jumped to second with a 10.7. There was another 10.7 by Enina but she could not catch up with Bhaker.
Earlier, Bhaker topped the qualifying with 576, which included a series of 95, 96, 96, 96, 95, 98 and placed second and third in the qualification were Russia's Enina Iana and Chinese Lu Kaiman with 569, the gulf in scores clearly highlighting the form the Indian was in.
Seeking to rediscover her habit of finishing on the podium after heartbreaks at the Asian Games and a none-too-impressive outing at the World Championships, Bhaker quickly got into the groove and showed her intent through the qualifying phase.
Having suffered the first significant loss of her young career in Indonesia after an astonishing run that made her one of India's biggest prospects, Bhaker lived up to the billing in the Argentine capital, showing tremendous mental strength to achieve her goal.
Representing her country in the women's 10m air pistol event, Bhaker has won medals at all major events she has participated barring the recent Asian Games.
At the 2017 Asian Junior Championships, she won a silver medal but at the 2018 ISSF World Cup held in Mexico, she returned with two gold medals. She won the women's 10m air pistol and in the 10m Air Pistol mixed team events.
The girl from Jhajjar, Haryana followed that up with a gold medal at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.
(With inputs from PTI)
Courtesy: www.indiatoday.in
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2021 post-poll violence: SC raps CBI over its plea seeking transfer of cases outside West Bengal
New Delhi (PTI):The Supreme Court on Friday rapped the CBI for making "scandalous allegations" against the courts in its plea seeking transfer of cases relating to the 2021 post-post violence cases outside West Bengal.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal said the agency cannot cast aspersions on the entire judiciary in West Bengal.
"Mr Raju what kind of grounds are taken in this? How can you cast aspersions on entire judiciary.You are showing as if there is a hostile environment in whole West Bengal.
"Your officers may not like the judicial officer or a particular state but don't say that the entire judiciary is not functioning. The judges the district judges and civil judges and sessions judges can't come here and defend themselves," the bench told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the CBI.
Defending the averments in the petition, the law officer told the apex court that there is no intention to cast aspersions and it is a case of loose drafting.
Raju withdrew the transfer petition after scathing observation from the apex court.
The top court recorded in its order, "Scandalous allegations have been made against all the courts in general in West Bengal. It has been repeatedly averred that there is a hostile environment prevailing in the courts. It is very unfortunate that the central agency has chosen to cast aspersions on courts in West Bengal".
"ASG states that there was no intention to cast aspersions. However the averment are to the contrary. He seeks permission to withdraw," the bench said.
The CBI had filed the petition in December 2023 seeking directions to transfer the cases outside of West Bengal due to alleged concerns of witness intimidation.
