India, April 16 -- As the 10m air pistol final commenced at the World Cup in Lima, cameras focused on Manu Bhaker, undoubtedly the most prominent name in the competition. Her expression revealed little, save for a practiced smile honed over years in the limelight.

In stark contrast, her fellow competitor Suruchi Phogat exhibited a raw, unfiltered spontaneity. Their shooting styles mirrored their personalities.

Bhaker demonstrated confident precision, while Phogat showcased the boldness that often accompanies youth. Positioned five lanes apart, this was a duel within the larger contest, with the young contender eager to challenge the seasoned two-time Olympic medallist. After 24 shots, Phogat reaffirmed that her rapid ascent in the sport was no mere coincidence.

The 18-year-old from Jhajjar district in Haryana followed her gold medal victory in Buenos Aires with another impressive performance, successfully fending off strong competition from Bhaker and others. "It doesn't matter who I am shooting against. For me, the only competition is with myself," she later remarked.

Phogat achieved a commendable score of 243.6, despite a couple of less impressive 9.7s, while Bhaker scored 242.3, and China's promising 20-year-old Yao Qianxun finished with 219.5. Another Chinese competitor, 19-year-old Yufei Meng, initially led the field after the first 10 shots, but two mediocre scores in the third series caused her to drop in ranking.

This opening allowed Phogat to seize the opportunity, delivering a composed 10.4 and 10.6 to take the lead. After 12 shots, Bhaker, who was in fourth place, elevated her performance in the subsequent two-shot series, scoring 10.7 and 10.3 to move into second place. Both Indian shooters maintained their positions until the final shot. The high-caliber contest between the established star of Indian shooting and the emerging challenger was truly captivating.

Shooting with relentless efficiency, Phogat became unstoppable once she took the lead, consistently widening the gap with each shot. Bhaker pursued tenaciously, but Phogat continued to find the 10s with remarkable consistency.

For Bhaker, Phogat's ascent serves as a subtle reminder of her own teenage years when she succeeded the seasoned Heena Sidhu and secured nine gold medals at the national championships in 2017.

After a disappointing performance at the Tokyo Olympics, she made a remarkable comeback in Paris last year, ending India's 12-year drought for an Olympic medal in shooting. She also became the first athlete from independent India to win multiple individual medals in a single Olympic Games.

Despite her remarkable achievements, Bhaker remains remarkably grounded, continuing her training with her long-time coach, Jaspal Rana. She is acutely aware that she now has a target on her back, particularly in domestic competitions. With talents like Palak, Esha Singh, Rhythm Sangwan, and Phogat emerging in the women's pistol events—both 10m and 25m—each competitor views surpassing a double Olympic medallist as a significant affirmation of their skills. This competitive environment is likely to elevate the overall standard of the sport, reminiscent of the brief surge in Indian athletics following Neeraj Chopra's success in javelin.

Bhaker recognizes the challenges ahead. "The young athletes are quite impressive. Suruchi performed exceptionally well today and also did admirably in Buenos Aires. I hope to maintain my performance to keep pace with them," she stated to ISSF after her final.

For Phogat, the task will be to sustain her winning momentum. She will face numerous challenges, including high-caliber competition, fitness management, and mastering the peaking process. Success also brings heightened expectations, which not all athletes can manage effectively. Phogat need not look far from the shooting range for motivation.

While Bhaker managed to recover from the Tokyo setback and steadily rebuilt her career, the talented Saurabh Chaudhary struggled to find his footing. With Chaudhary finally clinching a World Cup medal after more than three years and Bhaker and Phogat achieving an Indian 1-2 finish at the Las Palmas range, the future looks promising for India's pistol shooting scene.

Read Also: Saurabh and Suruchi clinch gold in 10m air pistol mixed team at Lima World Cup.

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!