Neeraj Chopra (R) and Manu Bhaker (L) at the Paris Olympics 2024 – AP Image
Speaking with News18 India, Bhaker played down the rumours and said she only gets to interact with Neeraj on the sidelines of multi-sport events.
Star shooter Manu Bhaker has finally opened up on the viral video in which she was having a conversation with Neeraj Chopra. The two athletes recently hit the headlines after Baker’s mother Sumedha was seen holding Neeraj’s hand and having a conversation with the star javelin thrower. Speculations were rife that there was some kind of off-the-field connection between the two Olympians. However, the shooter has quashed all the rumours.
Speaking with News18 India, Bhaker played down the rumours and said she only gets to interact with Neeraj on the sidelines of multi-sport events.
“I don’t know much about it. I was not there when this happened. But since 2018 we have been meeting on the sidelines of events. We don’t have that much interaction otherwise. During events, we talk a little. But there is no truth to the rumours that are going around,” Manu Bhaker told News18 during an interview.
Earlier, Manu’s father Ram Kishan Bhaker reacted to the social media chatter and said that his daughter is ‘still very young’ and they are ‘not even thinking about’ her marriage.
“Manu is still very young. She is not even of marriageable age. Not even thinking about it right now,” Ram Kishan was quoted as saying by Dainik Bhasker.
Talking about the viral video featuring his wife and Neeraj Chopra, Ram Kishan said, “Manu’s mother considers Neeraj like her son.”
Both Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker hail from Haryana and have excelled at the Paris Olympics 2024. India’s professional shooter Manu Bhaker created history in Paris by becoming the first Indian to bag two medals (bronze) at a single edition this year at the women’s 10m air pistol and pistol mixed team events.
