Commonwealth Games gold-winning shooter Manu Bhaker today said she is focussing on her technique and improving her mental strength as she prepares for the upcoming World Cup and Tokyo Olympics.

Manu, who secured an Olympics quota for India in the women’s 10m air pistol event, enjoyed a successful season last year, winning five World Cup gold medals in individual and team events.

“I am focussing on my technique because that is what takes us ahead. Other than that I’m working to keep myself physically and mentally fit, especially the mental fitness,” Manu said here.“I am basically working on my mental stability. When you focus your mind and do meditation to calm your mind, it helps control the thought process,” she added.

The 18-year-old from Haryana burst on the national scene at the start of 2018 with a victory at the ISSF World Cup in Mexico. She then went on to win a gold in the Commonwealth Games. However, Manu failed to meet the expectations at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang, from where she returned empty-handed.

The favourite to win an Olympics quota at the World Cup here last year, the Jhajjar shooter was unable to maintain her qualification round form in the 25m pistol event to finish outside the medals. She struggled to find her rhythm in the 10m air pistol event and finished 14th.

Manu had left the shooting range in tears after the 25m pistol event and the teenager said she is working on controlling her emotions, with the Olympics looming. “I am calming myself mentally because Olympics is huge. I need to stay calm before facing the range, the people etc,” she said.