India, Sept. 28 -- Manu Bhaker's Asian Games 2026 campaign has ended without a medal, a result that stands in sharp contrast to the expectations surrounding India's double Olympic medallist in Aichi-Nagoya. The 24-year-old was among the biggest names in India's shooting contingent after her historic Paris Olympics campaign, where she became the first athlete from India to win two medals at a single edition of the Olympic Games. But Japan brought a very different outcome, Bhaker finished fifth in the women's 10m air pistol final and then failed to qualify for the 25m pistol final, finishing 11th.

The disappointment is sharper because Bhaker had shown enough form in 2026 to suggest that another major performance was within reach. She won s...