Manu Bhaker Inspires Students with Her Olympic Journey and Love for Sports

Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker encouraged students in a southern metropolis to pursue careers in sports, sharing her journey from setbacks at the Tokyo Olympics to historic wins in Paris. Emphasizing hard work and big dreams, she credited her parents' support and urged students to keep learning and never give up.

Crisscrossing the nation after her triumphant return from Paris with two historic Olympic medals, ace shooter Manu Bhaker urged students in the southern metropolis on Tuesday to consider careers in sports, calling it ''a beautiful life.''

At 22, Manu became the first Indian athlete post-Independence to secure two medals at a single Olympics edition, a feat achieved in Paris. This victory marked a significant rebound from her disappointing debut at the Tokyo Olympics three years prior. ''My journey from Tokyo was challenging. Despite being world number two, I underperformed there,'' she shared at Velammal Nexus School after being felicitated.

Encouraging students to embrace the hard work sports demand, Manu warned, ''To achieve goals, intensive effort is required. Begin with big dreams, and strive to realize them. A sports career is rewarding, offering financial and personal support.''

Manu underscored her parents' vital influence, crediting her mother as her inspiration. ''Support from parents is crucial for a child’s success,'' she stated.

Reflecting on her eight-and-a-half-year career, filled with numerous international medals, Manu highlighted the importance of continual learning and resilience. ''Never give up on small setbacks. Keep going on,'' she advised the young assembly.