Markswoman Manu Bhaker, India’s first to win two Olympic medals in a single edition, landed in New Delhi on Wednesday after a successful campaign at the Paris Games 2024.
Her parents and more than 100 people gathered at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi to celebrate and welcome the 22-year-old for her historic win at the Paris Olympics.
The people were dancing drumbeats and greeted her with garlands as she showed her medals and interacted with the media.
Manu became the first markswoman from India to win an Olympic medal when she took home a bronze in the individual 10m air pistol event. Then, she teamed up with Sarabjot Singh to win the bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol event.
Manu Bhaker the flagbearer
Manu Bhaker was also declared the flagbearer for India at the closing ceremony of the ongoing Summer Games.
For Bhaker, this would be the honour of a lifetime. “I am honoured. This will be once in a lifetime opportunity and I will always cherish it as many years as possible in my sports career…It will be an honour of a lifetime. I will always cherish it.”
She will return to Paris on Saturday for the closing ceremony which is scheduled for Sunday.
Paris Olympics was a celebration of athletes and sport at its best’
International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said the Paris Games had been “sport at its best”.
“These were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish,” Bach said. “Or dare I say: Seine-sational Games,” the IOC chief quipped in a pun about the river flowing through Paris which was the scene of the opening ceremony
“Dear French friends, you have fallen in love with the Olympic Games. And we have fallen in love with all of you,” Bach added.
