India’s solely lady shooter to win an Olympic medal, and the primary sportsperson since Independence to win two medals at a single Olympic Video games, already has the presence of thoughts and sangfroid that eludes many older athletes.
With Manu have been her dad and mom and coach Jaspal Rana, who collectively kind a strong pillar of assist for the shooter. She answered query after query with uncommon candour.
Rana, a high shooter in his days who has seen Manu by means of many ups and downs, together with a bitter falling out at one stage, interjected when he wanted to.
Requested if it was vital to really feel nervous earlier than going out to shoot, Manu replied, “I feel as my coach says… solely two varieties of individuals will really feel nervous.”
Rana intervened: “Solely two varieties of individuals won’t really feel nervous!” Manu, smiling, instantly corrected herself, “Solely two won’t really feel nervous.” “The lifeless and the dumb,” each mentioned collectively. It was clear the jugalbandi between coach and pupil has been restored, and the great occasions are again.
Manu is nothing if not resilient, and her tattoo of the phrase ‘Nonetheless I Rise’ from the Maya Angelou poem serves as a continuing inspiration. “I noticed it on Pinterest, after which I used to be like, I actually like this. And I took my very own that means from it. I used to be not conscious of any poems or something.”
So will her success change the angle in the direction of girls in conservative Indian households, in her native Haryana and past?
“One occasion can result in some change, however if you wish to see larger change, it must be persistent,” Manu answered thoughtfully. “It can’t be one occasion. If this might occur, we’ll abruptly see change in society. It takes a variety of time for important change to occur.”
Manu, clearly clever past her years, is already a pathbreaker. For now, it is time to bask within the glory of Paris. Then, will probably be onwards to LA Olympics.
