# Manu Bhaker finishes fifth, breaks down remembering coach Jaspal Rana

2026-09-23T13:42:52+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finished fifth in the women's 10m air pistol final at the Asian Games in Nagoya on Wednesday, scoring 181.1. The 24-year-old had qualified third but an 8.9 shot in the final series ended her medal hopes. South Korea's Choo Gaeun won gold with an Asian record of 246.3. After the event, Bhaker broke down while speaking about her coach Jaspal Rana, who died in June. 'We were really looking forward to Japan,' she said, before pausing to compose herself. Rana, a multiple Asian Games gold medallist, had guided her to two Olympic medals in Paris 2024. Bhaker also lost her grandmother recently. Bhaker's coach Jelena Arunovic said the final performance was slightly better than her practice sessions. Bhaker will compete in the women's 25m sport pistol event on 27-28 September, her next chance for a medal.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three sources report the same result and emotional reaction, with no partisan framing. The Times of India and The Hindu lead with Bhaker's tears and Rana's memory, while National Herald places the result first and gives more context on her Olympic journey. The coverage is uniformly sympathetic to Bhaker's personal loss. Her 25m pistol event on 27-28 September is the immediate competitive focus.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/asian-games-2026/we-were-really-looking-forward-to-japan-teary-eyed-manu-bhaker-remembers-late-coach-jaspal-rana/articleshow/134437570.cms>
  Leads with emotional reaction, factual result reporting
- nationalheraldindia.com (neutral report) <https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/sports/asian-games-with-chips-down-manu-bhaker-misses-mentor-jaspal-rana>
  Leads with result, adds context on Olympic past
- thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://www.thehindu.com/sport/manu-bhaker-overwhelmed-by-jaspal-ranas-memories-after-missing-out-on-medal-in-10m-air-pistol/article71499995.ece>
  Leads with personal struggle, detailed emotional account

Tags: Aichi-Nagoya, Asian Games 2026, Jaspal Rana, Manu Bhaker, shooting
Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/manu-bhaker-finishes-fifth-tears-up-remembering-late-coach-rana/
License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources.
Cite: https://indianopinion.org/manu-bhaker-finishes-fifth-tears-up-remembering-late-coach-rana/#story-in-brief