Manu Bhaker’s individual medal hunt at the 2026 Asian Games ended in heartbreak on Wednesday, as the double Paris Olympic medallist finished fifth in the women’s 10m air pistol final in Aichi-Nagoya.
## How the Final Unfolded
Bhaker had entered the medal round in strong touch, shooting 579-20x to finish third in qualification. But the final proved unforgiving. She was eliminated with a total of 181.1, just 0.8 points outside the medal zone, after South Korea’s Choo Gaeun took gold with 184.5.
## A Team Heartbreak Too
Hours earlier, the pain had already begun. Bhaker, alongside Esha Singh and Suruchi Singh, saw India’s women’s 10m air pistol team finish fourth, missing bronze to Vietnam by just two inner-10 shots after both squads tied on 1719. For the full breakdown of that agonising finish, see our dedicated look at India’s fourth-place finishes at these Games.
## The Qualification Picture
– Bhaker: 579-20x, third in qualification, advanced to the final
– Esha Singh: 572-12x, 15th, missed the final
– Suruchi Singh: 568-12x, 26th, missed the final
## What Comes Next
Bhaker’s campaign in Nagoya is far from over. She is also entered in the 25m pistol event later in the shooting schedule, giving her another shot at the individual Asian Games medal that has so far eluded her at these Games. India’s shooters have already collected a clutch of silver and bronze medals through the rifle events, a story explored further in our piece on why India is still waiting for its first shooting gold in Nagoya.
## The Bigger Picture
Bhaker remains one of India’s most decorated active shooters, with two Olympic bronzes from Paris 2024 to her name. A fifth-place finish stings, but her qualification form suggests she remains firmly among the world’s best in the discipline. All eyes now turn to her next event, where she will look to turn narrow misses into podium finishes before the Games conclude on October 4.