‘Focus on giving your best, not complaining,’ Manu Bhaker tells fellow athletes

Manu Bhaker, the double Olympic medallist, on Saturday (September 19, 2026) urged her fellow Indian athletes not to waste energy on pointing out the organisational chaos that has marred the build-up to the Asian Games, and to focus instead on giving their best in competition.

Athletes and officials from several countries, including India, have expressed dismay at the organisational mismanagement, cramped lodging and long travel time from hotels to training venues, as criticism mounts over the messy build-up to the Games.

“To all my fellow athletes from India, we will have some issues,” Bhaker said in a video message posted by the Indian Olympic Association. She said she had seen a couple of issues circulating on social media.

“Regardless of whatever the issues we have, this is probably once in a lifetime opportunity and experience. We have to make sure that we enjoy the time rather than complaining,” she said.

“We have worked so hard to be here and we should not waste our energy in pointing out that this is not right and that is not right,” Bhaker said. “Medal may come or not, that is another story, but we must give our best.”

Bhaker (24), has been named one of the two flag-bearers of the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony on Saturday (September 19). Kabaddi player Pawan Sehrawat replaced Tajinderpal Singh Toor as the other flag-bearer earlier in the day, as the shot-putter did not have the ceremonial kit in his luggage and would have been unable to attend the ceremony.

She made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics by becoming the first athlete from Independent India to win two medals in a single edition of the Games, clinching bronze in the individual and mixed team 10m air pistol events.

Recalling her reaction on being chosen, Bhaker said she had flashbacks of her earlier days. “When I started, I never thought I would reach this far one day. It’s definitely feeling proud and honoured.”

This is Bhaker’s third Asian Games. She was 16 when she competed in the 2018 edition, but as she was in Palembang, Indonesia, she could not attend the opening ceremony.

She said her late coach Jaspal Rana allowed her to take part in opening ceremonies of multi-sport events only if she was going to be the flag-bearer. The first opening ceremony she attended was at the Commonwealth Games, she said.

“Since our matches usually start just a day after opening ceremony, it becomes hectic for us. So in opening ceremonies, I am either a flag-bearer or I watch the ceremony on television,” she said.