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Manu Bhaker Talks About Coach Jaspal Rana’s Future Despite New Role with NRAI
Double Olympic medalist shooter Manu Bhaker has confirmed that Jaspal Rana will continue to be her “coach,” despite his new role as the High-Performance trainer for pistol shooters, appointed by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) earlier this month. Rana, a four-time Asian Games gold medalist, and Manu had a falling out before the Tokyo Olympics but reconciled before the Paris Games. It was under Rana’s guidance that Manu made a remarkable comeback, clinching two bronze medals—one in the 10m air pistol and one in the 10m air pistol mixed team event—making history as the first Indian to win two medals in a single Olympic edition since Independence.
Manu acknowledged that this success would not have been possible without Rana’s mentorship. Even with his new role, she still considers him her coach.
Speaking after winning the BBC Sportswomen of the Year 2024 award, Manu said, “Honestly, I only have to say one thing—that he is my coach, all I know. He is very talented and has been an incredible coach for me. Of course, he can coach anyone else, but for me, he will always be my coach.”
Rana previously served as the National coach for junior shooters for nearly a decade, helping build a strong foundation for Indian shooting. After the Paris Olympics, Manu took a break to recover from a sore elbow.
Upon her return to the competitive circuit at the National trials earlier this month, she finished second to Rhythm Sangwan but expressed satisfaction with her performance.
“It was a decent comeback. I’m happy with what I achieved in the trials,” she shared.
Looking ahead, Manu is focused on her upcoming schedule, which includes World Cup events in April, domestic competitions in June, another World Cup in Munich, and the World Championships, likely in October or November. Her primary goal is to peak at the World Championships, which will be held in Cairo, Egypt, from November 6-16.
Disclaimer: This is an AI-generated live blog and has not been edited by Localtak staff.
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