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NFL Draft 2026: The best players remaining for Day 3  Three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft are behind us.But four more rounds remain.Saturday at the NFL Draft is where the scouting teams make their money, as the hours of work pouring over film, conducting interviews, and attending games truly pay off for teams. With over 150 picks still to be made, there are a lot of players who will realize their NFL dreams today.Here are the best players left on the board, starting with cornerback Jermod McCoy. The medical issues with his knee must be truly scaring teams, as this is a player with top-ten talent who remains undrafted as the third day begins. But the ACL surgery, and recent reports that he might need an additional surgery to address a “bone plug,” see him still on the board for the beginning of the fourth round.Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is also available, which is a bit of a surprise given the fact that both Carson Beck and Drew Allar came off the board on Friday night.Another player to watch is slot cornerback Keionte Scott from Miami, a disruptive force in the secondary. Scott was one of our favorite players to study and while he lined up primarily in the slot for the Hurricanes, he does have the size to kick outside. Some team is going to be very happy he slide to Day 3.Here are the best player remaining as the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft looms:  #NFL #Draft #players #remaining #Day

NFL Draft 2026: The best players remaining for Day 3

Three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft are behind us.

But four more rounds remain.

Saturday at the NFL Draft is where the scouting teams make their money, as the hours of work pouring over film, conducting interviews, and attending games truly pay off for teams. With over 150 picks still to be made, there are a lot of players who will realize their NFL dreams today.

Here are the best players left on the board, starting with cornerback Jermod McCoy. The medical issues with his knee must be truly scaring teams, as this is a player with top-ten talent who remains undrafted as the third day begins. But the ACL surgery, and recent reports that he might need an additional surgery to address a “bone plug,” see him still on the board for the beginning of the fourth round.

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is also available, which is a bit of a surprise given the fact that both Carson Beck and Drew Allar came off the board on Friday night.

Another player to watch is slot cornerback Keionte Scott from Miami, a disruptive force in the secondary. Scott was one of our favorite players to study and while he lined up primarily in the slot for the Hurricanes, he does have the size to kick outside. Some team is going to be very happy he slide to Day 3.

Here are the best player remaining as the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft looms:

#NFL #Draft #players #remaining #Day

Three rounds of the 2026 NFL Draft are behind us.

But four more rounds remain.

Saturday at the NFL Draft is where the scouting teams make their money, as the hours of work pouring over film, conducting interviews, and attending games truly pay off for teams. With over 150 picks still to be made, there are a lot of players who will realize their NFL dreams today.

Here are the best players left on the board, starting with cornerback Jermod McCoy. The medical issues with his knee must be truly scaring teams, as this is a player with top-ten talent who remains undrafted as the third day begins. But the ACL surgery, and recent reports that he might need an additional surgery to address a “bone plug,” see him still on the board for the beginning of the fourth round.

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is also available, which is a bit of a surprise given the fact that both Carson Beck and Drew Allar came off the board on Friday night.

Another player to watch is slot cornerback Keionte Scott from Miami, a disruptive force in the secondary. Scott was one of our favorite players to study and while he lined up primarily in the slot for the Hurricanes, he does have the size to kick outside. Some team is going to be very happy he slide to Day 3.

Here are the best player remaining as the final day of the 2026 NFL Draft looms:

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#NFL #Draft #players #remaining #Day

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IPL 2026: Virat Kohli hopes to return to ‘special’ Chinnaswamy later this season after RCB’s win over Gujarat Titans <div id="content-body-70904397" itemprop="articleBody"><p>Virat Kohli described the Chinnaswamy Stadium as a “special place to play cricket” as defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended its home campaign on a high after a controversy-ridden build-up to the season because of last year’s tragic stampede.</p><p>RCB on Friday rode on an explosive 115-run second-wicket stand between Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal to overhaul Gujarat Titans’ challenging 206-run target in 18.5 overs with five wickets in hand, finishing its home leg with four wins from five games.</p><p>RCB’s two remaining ‘home’ games will be played in Raipur due to prior arrangements.</p><p>“Firstly, we were quite happy we were able to play five games here and the fans get to see the team again,” said Kohli, who made a 44-ball 81 and was adjudged the player-of-the-match.</p><p>The Chinnaswamy was cleared to host seven IPL 2026 matches, including the final, after a successful safety review by government agencies days before the tournament.</p><p><b>READ | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/ipl/rcb-vs-gt-ipl-2026-kohli-padikkal-half-centuries-royal-challengers-bengaluru-gujarat-titans/article70903155.ece" target="_self">Kohli, Padikkal fifties trump Sudharsan century as Royal Challengers Bengaluru wins again</a></b></p><p>The venue is next scheduled to host one playoff and the summit clash in May.</p><p>“We were happy to play here, it’s a special place to play cricket. It’s been brilliant to play at home and win four games. Hopefully, we’ll be able to come back and play here again later in the season,” said Kohli in the post-match presentation.</p><p>Kohli was also effusive in his praise for Devdutt’s 27-ball 55, calling it the “difference” in the first half of the chase.</p><p>“To be honest, we had to assess the wicket early on because they (GT) have a quality bowling attack and chasing 200 in the Chinnaswamy, we were just one partnership away.</p><p>“This is the second time Dev (Padikkal) has come and done this. You never see him slogging the ball yet he’s playing so freely. His innings was the difference in the first half and then I was trying to stay in the game so he won’t feel the pressure,” said Kohli, who is now the Orange Cap holder with 328 runs from seven innings.</p><p>Put in to bat, Gujarat Titans had a strong 128-run opening stand in 12.4 overs, but its middle order failed to maintain momentum as RCB pulled things back, denying it an additional 10-20 runs.</p><p>“Even in our bowling innings, we did well to pull things back. We were looking at 230-235 at one stage,” said Kohli.</p><p>On the pitch, he added: “Best batting conditions we’ve had this season. So if we stayed in the game long enough it would get tougher and tougher for bowlers.</p><p>“Dev was going great guns and the idea was to keep the pressure on the bowlers. There was intent, clarity and feedback from the other and we didn’t have any doubts in the partnership and that’s what worked for us.”</p><p><b>We had our moments: Gill</b></p><p>GT skipper Shubman Gill rued the dropped chance of Kohli on zero by Washington Sundar off Mohammed Siraj.</p><p>“When a batsman gets dropped on nought, it’s always tough on the fielder but it’s important how you come back into the game,” said Gill.</p><p>“We had our moments but we were not consistently able to hit the length balls. And I think they batted beautifully in the middle overs.”</p><p>Gill also pointed out GT’s middle-overs slowdown as a key factor.</p><p>“Definitely, I think from 16th to 19th overs, we couldn’t get any boundaries and couldn’t get as many runs as we would have liked. Those were crucial overs for us.</p><p>“At the end of the powerplay, we were in a good position and it was about taking wickets in the middle overs and were not able to after the powerplay got over.”</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 25, 2026</p></div> #IPL #Virat #Kohli #hopes #return #special #Chinnaswamy #season #RCBs #win #Gujarat #Titans

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Deadspin | Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer’s contract extended through 2032-33 season <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/27916040.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/27916040.jpg" alt="NCAA Football: Rose Bowl-Alabama at Indiana" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer looks on before the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Alabama and coach Kalen DeBoer have reached agreement on a two-year contract extension through the 2032-33 season, the school announced Wednesday.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The deal will reportedly increase DeBoer’s earnings to $87.5 million over the next seven seasons.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>The University of Alabama’s System Board of Trustees Compensation Committee formally approved the deal Wednesday.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>DeBoer is 20-8 in two seasons with the Crimson Tide after taking over for legendary Nick Saban, who retired after the 2023 season.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>“We are excited about the opportunity to continue our time in Tuscaloosa with this contract extension,” DeBoer said in a news release. “This University has become a special place to us, and I look forward to working to ensure that Alabama football remains at the forefront of college football.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>“This program has a long history of success and an unmatched tradition that I was eager to be a part of two years ago, and I cannot wait to keep coaching our guys and bring more championships to Alabama.”</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>DeBoer’s contract reportedly includes a $10 million buyout through January that drops to $8 million for the following 12 months before dipping again to $6 million.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Alabama went 9-4 in DeBoer’s first season in 2024 and missed the College Football Playoff. It went 11-4 last season, defeating Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP before being annihilated 38-3 by eventual champion Indiana.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>“We are pleased to extend Coach DeBoer and are proud to have him leading the Crimson Tide football program,” Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said in the news release. “He is an excellent coach and has done a commendable job developing our student-athletes.”</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>DeBoer, 51, is 57-17 over the last six seasons, including going 12-6 at Fresno State from 2020-21 and 25-3 at Washington in 2022-23. He guided the Huskies to the 2023 CFP title game before falling to Michigan.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Earlier in his career, DeBoer went 67-3 at Sioux Falls over five seasons, winning NAIA national championships in 2006, 2008 and 2009.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-12"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Alabama #coach #Kalen #DeBoers #contract #extended #season

Welcome to my way too early 2027 mock draft.

Just kidding, that sounds terrible and we should federally prosecute those who do that.

Over the course of the 2026 NFL Draft, there was a lot to love in terms of what specific teams did over the course of the three-day event. The other side of that coin being that there were also teams who kept making the wrong choice at such a consistent degree to where it became almost impressive. Here’s a look and the good and the bad of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Took every bit of willpower in my body not to slam my computer against my desk like Jake Gyllenhaal in Prisoners while writing this. It’s insufferable listening to everyone go “HoWiE dOeS iT aGaIn” after just… drafting good players who fell in his lap. But his season, Roseman and the Eagles did the equivalent of a Money in the Bank cash in, jumping in front of the Steelers to steal Makai Lemon from their grasp as general Manager Omar Khan was on the phone with the former USC star. They then selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, who will serve as an instant upgrade over Grant Calcaterra and an eventual replacement for Dallas Goedert and got Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell at the beginning of the third round after a trade with the Jets. To go three-for-three in the first three rounds of the draft is a job well done.

I said it on Thursday, and I’ll say it again – the Saints are winning the NFC South. They added the most explosive receiver in the class in Jordyn Tyson, and double-dipped by adding Bryce Lance in the fourth round. They also added some young talent on defense, taking Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller in the second round and Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles in the fifth. These pieces, combined with Travis Etienne in free agency and the emergence of Tyler Shough, the Saints will be eating beignets, tossing beads, and doing other New Orleans tropes in the playoffs. And yes, I had to Google how to spell beignet by typing “binyay” and assuming it would give me the correct spelling, which worked.

Their defense was the Washington AARP cards in 2025. Bobby Wagner, Marshon Lattimore, Von Miler – that would have been a legitimately great core in 2019. They selected perhaps the most athletic linebacker in this class in Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick, and also got some offensive help for Jayden Daniels with wide receiver Antonio Williams in round three and running back Kaytron Allen in round six. The Commanders didn’t have a ton of picks to work with, but they made the most of their selections and got multiple instant difference-makers.

The Dolphins snagged two of my favorite players in the draft, and they play the same position. Getting Jacob Rodriguez in round two and Kyle Louis in round 3 gives them two players in the middle of their defense they can build around as they lay the foundation for the future. Landing Kadyn Proctor at tackle in the first round, as well as Chris Bell at receiver in round three gives the Dolphins a good young corps to move into this new era.

This is the second straight year I’ve loved the Browns’ draft. They get Spencer Fano to be their new staple at left tackle, and then double dipped at receiver with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston to strengthen arguably the weakest unit on their roster. Getting Toldeo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at the tail end of the second round was tremendous value, and I like the addition of the uber-athletic quarterback Taylen Green out of Arkansas. If this can finally start translating into wins for the Browns, we’ll look back on these last two drafts very fondly.

If you are reading this, check your phone – there is a greater than zero chance that James Gladstone like what he saw in your lateral movement skills at the catering table at the packed corporate event. You kept everything together, you went from chicken to lettuce wraps in a flash, and they really think you can be a nice asset in their pass protection.

Yeah, God only knows what the Jaguars saw in a few of these guys. They drafted the No. 678 player on the consensus big board in the sixth round in Stanford wide receiver C.J. Williams. Then in the seventh, they took player No. 679 in Middle Tennessee State linebacker Parker Hughes. Additionally, with their first pick (No. 56 overall), they took tight end Nate Boerkricher, who had 38 receptions in five collegiate seasons. They did land Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnant in the third round, which was a good value selection, but the vast majority of their picks were reach after reach.

Find someone who loves you as much as Brandon Beane loves trading down in the draft and subsequently passing up on good players. The chair of the 26th pick was too big, so Buffalo traded it to the Texans. The 28th pick chair was too small, so they traded it to the Patriots. God only knows what was wrong with the 31st pick, but they moved out of that one, as well. Finally, after finding the perfect recliner to sit in, the Bills stayed put at pick No. 35. However, if there is one thing Brandon Beane loves, it’s an underwhelming edge rusher, so they took T.J. Parker instead of Kayden McDonald, who would have filled a major need at defensive tackle. Later on, Buffalo moved up four spots in the second round to draft Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun, a player they likely could have gotten in the fourth round. Beane is bad at drafting, that’s not exactly news, but even their good picks, like Skyler Bell, are hard to get excited for after Joe Brady talked about how good he is in the screen game. That high-pitched ringing sound you just heard was all of Bills Mafia screaming in unison.

“Give me more money” Jacoby Brissett, “Trailer Park Jake Plummer” Gardner Minshew, and “I can’t throw that far” Carson Beck – what a quarterback room. Taking Beck to kickoff the third round is a massive reach for a limited quarterback who lacks a big arm and athleticism to make plays outside the pocket. Jeremiyah Love is a tremendous player, but giving him north of $50 million guaranteed before he ever takes a snap is bizarre. Plus, taking a running back in the top five as a bad team with several holes is a big no no, especially after they just signed Tyler Allgeier and still have James Conner. Any good they did do is largely negated due to two bad decisions in the first three rounds.

Credit to Grant Cohn for flat out asking John Lynch why the 49ers constantly reach on players because it’s amazing how the 49ers overcome their terrible drafts year in and year out. They took Ole Miss wideout Deshaun Stribbling with the 33rd overall pick when he was considered a late Day Two, early Day Three guy. And, as is tradition, they took a running back in the third round when he was a late fourth round projected player. It’s just incredible that the 49ers constantly win despite their inability to draft well.

Yeah, the Ty Simpson pick will either make the Rams look like geniuses or he’ll be shipped to the Bengals along with four first-round picks when they trade for Joe Burrow in 2027. Which, if that happens and it was all a big-brain decision to draft Simpson solely for that purpose, props to Les Snead. But reaching for tight end Max Klare in the second round was unnecessary and marked the second straight year they over-drafted a tight end in round two. 25 year-old tackle Keagan Trost in round three also felt like a bit of a reach, especially when he probably needs to be kicked inside to guard.

#NFL #teams #Draft #didnt">5 NFL teams who got better in the 2026 Draft, and 5 who didn’t do enough  Welcome to my way too early 2027 mock draft.Just kidding, that sounds terrible and we should federally prosecute those who do that.Over the course of the 2026 NFL Draft, there was a lot to love in terms of what specific teams did over the course of the three-day event. The other side of that coin being that there were also teams who kept making the wrong choice at such a consistent degree to where it became almost impressive. Here’s a look and the good and the bad of the 2026 NFL Draft.Took every bit of willpower in my body not to slam my computer against my desk like Jake Gyllenhaal in Prisoners while writing this. It’s insufferable listening to everyone go “HoWiE dOeS iT aGaIn” after just… drafting good players who fell in his lap. But his season, Roseman and the Eagles did the equivalent of a Money in the Bank cash in, jumping in front of the Steelers to steal Makai Lemon from their grasp as general Manager Omar Khan was on the phone with the former USC star. They then selected Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, who will serve as an instant upgrade over Grant Calcaterra and an eventual replacement for Dallas Goedert and got Miami offensive tackle Markel Bell at the beginning of the third round after a trade with the Jets. To go three-for-three in the first three rounds of the draft is a job well done.I said it on Thursday, and I’ll say it again – the Saints are winning the NFC South. They added the most explosive receiver in the class in Jordyn Tyson, and double-dipped by adding Bryce Lance in the fourth round. They also added some young talent on defense, taking Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller in the second round and Ohio State safety Lorenzo Styles in the fifth. These pieces, combined with Travis Etienne in free agency and the emergence of Tyler Shough, the Saints will be eating beignets, tossing beads, and doing other New Orleans tropes in the playoffs. And yes, I had to Google how to spell beignet by typing “binyay” and assuming it would give me the correct spelling, which worked.Their defense was the Washington AARP cards in 2025. Bobby Wagner, Marshon Lattimore, Von Miler – that would have been a legitimately great core in 2019. They selected perhaps the most athletic linebacker in this class in Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick, and also got some offensive help for Jayden Daniels with wide receiver Antonio Williams in round three and running back Kaytron Allen in round six. The Commanders didn’t have a ton of picks to work with, but they made the most of their selections and got multiple instant difference-makers.The Dolphins snagged two of my favorite players in the draft, and they play the same position. Getting Jacob Rodriguez in round two and Kyle Louis in round 3 gives them two players in the middle of their defense they can build around as they lay the foundation for the future. Landing Kadyn Proctor at tackle in the first round, as well as Chris Bell at receiver in round three gives the Dolphins a good young corps to move into this new era.This is the second straight year I’ve loved the Browns’ draft. They get Spencer Fano to be their new staple at left tackle, and then double dipped at receiver with KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston to strengthen arguably the weakest unit on their roster. Getting Toldeo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren at the tail end of the second round was tremendous value, and I like the addition of the uber-athletic quarterback Taylen Green out of Arkansas. If this can finally start translating into wins for the Browns, we’ll look back on these last two drafts very fondly.If you are reading this, check your phone – there is a greater than zero chance that James Gladstone like what he saw in your lateral movement skills at the catering table at the packed corporate event. You kept everything together, you went from chicken to lettuce wraps in a flash, and they really think you can be a nice asset in their pass protection.Yeah, God only knows what the Jaguars saw in a few of these guys. They drafted the No. 678 player on the consensus big board in the sixth round in Stanford wide receiver C.J. Williams. Then in the seventh, they took player No. 679 in Middle Tennessee State linebacker Parker Hughes. Additionally, with their first pick (No. 56 overall), they took tight end Nate Boerkricher, who had 38 receptions in five collegiate seasons. They did land Oregon guard Emmanuel Pregnant in the third round, which was a good value selection, but the vast majority of their picks were reach after reach.Find someone who loves you as much as Brandon Beane loves trading down in the draft and subsequently passing up on good players. The chair of the 26th pick was too big, so Buffalo traded it to the Texans. The 28th pick chair was too small, so they traded it to the Patriots. God only knows what was wrong with the 31st pick, but they moved out of that one, as well. Finally, after finding the perfect recliner to sit in, the Bills stayed put at pick No. 35. However, if there is one thing Brandon Beane loves, it’s an underwhelming edge rusher, so they took T.J. Parker instead of Kayden McDonald, who would have filled a major need at defensive tackle. Later on, Buffalo moved up four spots in the second round to draft Ohio State cornerback Davison Igbinosun, a player they likely could have gotten in the fourth round. Beane is bad at drafting, that’s not exactly news, but even their good picks, like Skyler Bell, are hard to get excited for after Joe Brady talked about how good he is in the screen game. That high-pitched ringing sound you just heard was all of Bills Mafia screaming in unison.“Give me more money” Jacoby Brissett, “Trailer Park Jake Plummer” Gardner Minshew, and “I can’t throw that far” Carson Beck – what a quarterback room. Taking Beck to kickoff the third round is a massive reach for a limited quarterback who lacks a big arm and athleticism to make plays outside the pocket. Jeremiyah Love is a tremendous player, but giving him north of  million guaranteed before he ever takes a snap is bizarre. Plus, taking a running back in the top five as a bad team with several holes is a big no no, especially after they just signed Tyler Allgeier and still have James Conner. Any good they did do is largely negated due to two bad decisions in the first three rounds.Credit to Grant Cohn for flat out asking John Lynch why the 49ers constantly reach on players because it’s amazing how the 49ers overcome their terrible drafts year in and year out. They took Ole Miss wideout Deshaun Stribbling with the 33rd overall pick when he was considered a late Day Two, early Day Three guy. And, as is tradition, they took a running back in the third round when he was a late fourth round projected player. It’s just incredible that the 49ers constantly win despite their inability to draft well.Yeah, the Ty Simpson pick will either make the Rams look like geniuses or he’ll be shipped to the Bengals along with four first-round picks when they trade for Joe Burrow in 2027. Which, if that happens and it was all a big-brain decision to draft Simpson solely for that purpose, props to Les Snead. But reaching for tight end Max Klare in the second round was unnecessary and marked the second straight year they over-drafted a tight end in round two. 25 year-old tackle Keagan Trost in round three also felt like a bit of a reach, especially when he probably needs to be kicked inside to guard.  #NFL #teams #Draft #didnt

India’s double Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker is brimming with confidence ahead of the new season, determined to reignite her competitive spark after a quiet spell following her Paris Olympics glory.

With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle kicking off this year, Manu has her sights firmly set on the Asian Games and the World Championships—targets she believes will restore the competitive edge that powered her to two bronze medals at the 2024 Olympics.

“We have the Asian Games (in Japan) and the World Championships coming up at the end of this year, so definitely we are looking forward to the two major competitions,” said the 24-year-old pistol ace on the sidelines of an event, marking 75 years of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Monday.

“So, the preparations which me and my coach we have, we sat down sometime back and we planned what are the (upcoming) competitions and what is the preparedness. I feel we have all the things sorted and hopefully we will do very well,” added the Jhajjar shooter who has endured a relatively quiet spell since her 2024 Paris success, managing only a 10m air pistol World Cup silver last year and a 25m pistol silver at the Asian Championships in New Delhi this year.

Manu welcomed the return of shooting to the programme at the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India after the sport was left out of both the 2022 edition in Birmingham and the upcoming Games in Glasgow.

“My first breakthrough was in the Commonwealth Games that was in 2018 Australia (Gold Coast). It is sad (that it was not part of the CWG curriculum for two successive editions), but at the same time I am also looking forward to the 2030 Games.

“We will be hosting the Commonwealth Games so I am looking forward. I am sure India will do great,” she added.

Manu Bhaker also spoke about her personal growth, revealing a deeper spiritual side that took shape around the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Yes, I am a very spiritual person. That journey began around the time of the Olympics, and I’m really happy to be continuing on that path.”

Published on Apr 27, 2026

#Manu #Bhakers #confidence #surges #Olympic #qualification #cycle #nears">Manu Bhaker’s confidence surges as Olympic qualification cycle nears  India’s double Olympic medallist shooter Manu Bhaker is brimming with confidence ahead of the new season, determined to reignite her competitive spark after a quiet spell following her Paris Olympics glory.With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification cycle kicking off this year, Manu has her sights firmly set on the Asian Games and the World Championships—targets she believes will restore the competitive edge that powered her to two bronze medals at the 2024 Olympics.“We have the Asian Games (in Japan) and the World Championships coming up at the end of this year, so definitely we are looking forward to the two major competitions,” said the 24-year-old pistol ace on the sidelines of an event, marking 75 years of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Monday.“So, the preparations which me and my coach we have, we sat down sometime back and we planned what are the (upcoming) competitions and what is the preparedness. I feel we have all the things sorted and hopefully we will do very well,” added the Jhajjar shooter who has endured a relatively quiet spell since her 2024 Paris success, managing only a 10m air pistol World Cup silver last year and a 25m pistol silver at the Asian Championships in New Delhi this year.Manu welcomed the return of shooting to the programme at the 2030 Commonwealth Games in India after the sport was left out of both the 2022 edition in Birmingham and the upcoming Games in Glasgow.“My first breakthrough was in the Commonwealth Games that was in 2018 Australia (Gold Coast). It is sad (that it was not part of the CWG curriculum for two successive editions), but at the same time I am also looking forward to the 2030 Games.“We will be hosting the Commonwealth Games so I am looking forward. I am sure India will do great,” she added.Manu Bhaker also spoke about her personal growth, revealing a deeper spiritual side that took shape around the 2024 Paris Olympics.“Yes, I am a very spiritual person. That journey began around the time of the Olympics, and I’m really happy to be continuing on that path.”Published on Apr 27, 2026  #Manu #Bhakers #confidence #surges #Olympic #qualification #cycle #nears

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