"You can smell this gutter is here...": Manu Bhaker's father points out poor playing conditions, hectic travel schedule after daughter's medal-less Asian Games campaign
Manu Bhaker ends her Asian Games campaign without a medal. Her father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, criticizes the poor playing conditions and travel logistics in Japan.
In a disappointing turn of events at the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, India's double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker concluded her campaign without securing a medal. Despite being one of the nation's premier medal prospects following her historic success in Paris, the star shooter failed to make a significant impact in the pistol events.
A Disappointing End to the Campaign
Manu competed in both the women's 25m pistol and 10m air pistol individual and team events. Her campaign reached a disappointing conclusion on Monday during the women's 25m pistol team final. The Indian trio, consisting of Esha Singh, Manu Bhaker, and Rahi Sarnobat, finished in fifth place with a total score of 1727-56x.
The podium saw China take the gold medal, followed by South Korea with silver and Chinese Taipei with bronze. The Indian team's performance left them just short of the medal positions, with China leading the pack at 1743-68x.
Father Slams Poor Organising and Conditions
Speaking to the media regarding the team's performance and the tournament's management, Manu's father, Ram Kishan Bhaker, expressed deep frustration. He highlighted how a single shot by teammate Rahi Sarnobat proved decisive in the team event, shifting the momentum away from a potential gold medal.
Beyond the on-field performance, Ram Kishan launched a scathing critique of the tournament's infrastructure and logistics. He pointed out significant environmental and logistical hurdles faced by the athletes.
- Unsanitary Environment: He noted a distressing smell of sewage near the shooting range, stating, "You can smell this gutter is here, and athletes are shooting in such an environment."
- Logistical Hardships: He criticized the distance between the shooting range and Nagoya City, noting that athletes spend four to five hours traveling every day.
- Transport Issues: He raised concerns regarding inconsistent bus timings, which added to the exhaustion of the athletes.
"Japan should not organise such big events. They need to improve themselves if they are willing to organise that type of event. They should be better organised," Ram Kishan remarked.
Detailed Performance Breakdown
The struggle for the Indian shooting contingent was evident across multiple disciplines during the final stages of the competition:
- Women's 25m Pistol: Manu Bhaker finished 11th in the qualification round with a score of 579-18x, missing the individual final. Rahi Sarnobat finished 30th with 568-16x.
- Women's 10m Air Pistol: Manu Bhaker finished in fifth place during the qualification round with 181.1 points, narrowly missing the individual final.
- Team Events: The Indian team narrowly missed out on a team medal, finishing in fourth place.
This outcome stands in stark contrast to Manu Bhaker's recent form. Prior to these games, she had secured a bronze medal at the ISSF World Cup 2026 in Hangzhou and a silver medal at the ISSF World Cup 2026 in Munich in the 10m air pistol mixed team event alongside Samrat Rana.