New Delhi

Two-time Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker has asked everyone to 'stop speculating' on her Khel Ratna award snub. The comments come after her father made 'strong-worded' remarks about Bhaker not being in the list of award recipients.

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"With regards to ongoing issue for my nomination for the most prestigious Khel Ratna award- I would like to state that as an athlete my role is to play and perform for my country. Awards and recognition keeps me motivated but are not my goal," wrote Bhaker on social media platform X.

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"I believe there has been a lapse, maybe on my part while filing for the nomination which is being corrected. Irrespective of the award I shall remain motivated to win more medals for my country. It is a request to everyone, please do not speculate on this matter," she added.

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Bhaker had won two bronze medals in shooting during the 2024 Paris Olympics earlier this year -  one medal in the women's 10m air pistol event and the other with Sarabjot Singh in the mixed 10m pistol event. She became the first Indian athlete to win two medals at the same Olympics.

After her name was not featured in the Khel Ratna recipients for this year, TOI cited her father as saying, "I regret putting her in the sport of shooting. I should have instead made her a cricketer. Then, all the awards and accolades would have come her way. She won two Olympic medals in a single edition, no one has ever done that. What else do you expect my child to do for the country? The government must recognise her efforts."

"I spoke to Manu, and she was disheartened by all this. She told me, 'I shouldn't have gone to the Olympics and won medals for the country. In fact, I shouldn't have become a sportsperson'," Manu's father added.