Indian shooter Manu Bhaker was poised for the 2020 Olympics, but the global health crisis forced the event to be moved to 2021. As COVID-19 disrupted lives everywhere, the international sports calendar had to be completely rewritten. On a brighter note, the mandatory lockdowns and quarantine periods provided athletes across all disciplines with much-needed time to recover and refine their strategies for future major competitions.
After the cancellation of two 10-meter air pistol ISSF events and the postponement of the Olympics, the teenage athlete kept her spirits high and shared her lockdown habits during an interview. With a proven track record of gold medals in World Cup, Asian, and National competitions, Bhaker has been diligently training for the life-changing opportunity the Olympics represent. She admitted that shifting the Games to August 2021 was the right call, as it saved countless athletes from the heartbreak of seeing years of hard work go to waste.
Beyond her training, Bhaker enjoys relaxing with her family, even playing games like 'Luka chhupi' (hide-and-seek). She described a disciplined 21-day lockdown routine designed to keep her focused. Her daily regimen includes fitness work using a punching bag, boxing gloves, and a tennis racquet, though she admitted she deeply misses the professional environment of a training camp. To bridge that gap, she showed off a specialized shooting range at home. What used to be a simple gallery was remodeled by her father into a functional practice space. By training four hours a day there, she found that the lockdown actually helped her rediscover and refine certain aspects of her technique.
With more free time on her hands due to the closure of schools and official training centers, Bhaker has returned to her passion for sketching and painting, interests she had developed a year prior. Amidst her artistic pursuits, she also shared a message of caution, urging people to prioritize safety and health over a rushed return to normalcy during the pandemic.