Jaspal Rana knows secret of how to make me a better shooter: Manu Bhaker

Not being able to take her personal coach Jaspal Rana to major international competitions could be holding her back, said national shooter Manu Bhaker before departing for the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

Bhaker recently reunited with Rana, India's most successful shooter at the Asian Games, after the much-publicised split two years back ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. But National Rifle Association of India’s (NRAI) policy of not allowing personal coaches to accompany shooters at international competitions means that Bhaker only has the national team's coaches to lean on at events like the Asian Games, and even next month's Asian Championships which will double up as the Paris Olympic qualifiers.

“I’m hoping that this situation gets sorted soon. I’ve put in a request that he (Rana) accompanies me for major competitions, like the quota competitions or the World Championships and the major events at least,” Manu Bhaker told PTI.

“He (Rana) just knows how to work with me. He’s been working with me since I was a child and he just knows the tricks and the things how to distract me in a positive way, like take my mind off things which are bothering me. So, I think he knows the secret (to make me a better shooter). Anything that takes my mind off my technique, I always discuss it with him. Anything, like the exams coming up or maybe I’ve had a fight with somebody, so it’s like I talk to him about everything," the 21-year-old shooter said.

Manu Bhaker had competed in as many as three pistol events at the 2018 Asian Games, but despite the pre-Games buzz, was not able to win a medal. The Haryana shooter will be competing in the 25m sports pistol individual and team events at the Asian Games.

She will be in the running to redeem herself after a few disappointments in big tournaments with two medals at the Asian Games, but her mentor Jaspal Rana will have to be cheering her on from New Delhi.