New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) The passing of coach Jaspal Rana has left double-Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker devastated, with the pistol shooter saying, “the shooting range will never feel the same again”. Rana passed away in New Delhi early on Friday morning at a hospital to which he was admitted, apparently due to complications arising from a recent stent procedure after suffering chest discomfort late in May. He was 49.

Manu paid emotional tribute to the coach who played a key role in her making a grand comeback from the disappointments at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games and helped her win two medals in the Paris Olympics in 2024.

“I still can’t believe it,” Manu was quoted as saying by Olympics.com on Friday. “It is unbelievable news. I am struggling to process it. He was not just my coach, mentor, or guide, but also a friend who understood me better than most people,” said Manu. who has reached Dehradun, where Rana’s mortal remains have been taken to for final rites.

One of India’s greatest pistol shooters, Rana took to coaching after retiring as a competitive shooter. He initially trained junior shooters at his academy in Dehradun before joining the national setup and eventually becoming Manu Bhaker’s coach. Rana played a pivotal role in Manu’s development as a shooter, helping her navigate both success and adversity during their partnership.

On Friday, Manu said that the bond they shared went beyond the shooting range. “There were times when he was strict, and there were times when he simply listened,” Manu recalled. “He always wanted the best from me, even when I did not understand it at the time. Looking back now, every lesson he taught me had a purpose.”

“When we started working together again, it felt like coming home,” Manu said. “He knew when I was confident, when I was nervous, and when I needed support. He always found a way to bring out the best in me,” she told Olympics.com.

Manu said her achievements bear her coach’s imprint. “Every medal, every success, every moment on the podium will always remind me of him,” Manu said. “A part of those victories belongs to him because he never stopped believing in me, even during the most difficult phases of my career,” she said.

–IANS

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