Manu Bhaker hails Avani Lekhara's gold medal win at Paralympics
Indian shooter Manu Bhaker has praised Avani Lekhara for winning gold in the 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the Paris Paralympics. The win was significant as Lekhara set a new Paralympic record with a score of 249.7, defending her Tokyo 2020 title. This achievement solidifies Lekhara's status as one of India's most decorated female Paralympic athletes, with three medals from two Games. Here are the details.
Lekhara's dramatic victory in final round
The final round of the event was filled with suspense as Lekhara experienced a significant dip in the shoot-out for gold. Her second-last shot, a 9.9, temporarily placed her in second place behind Korea's Yunri Lee. However, Lekhara's final shot of 10.5 left the outcome uncertain, hinging on Lee's performance. In an unexpected turn of events, Lee succumbed to pressure and scored a disappointing 6.8. This allowed Lekhara to secure the gold by a substantial margin of 1.9 points.
Bhaker also acknowledges Mona Agarwal's bronze medal win
In her X (previously Twitter) post, Bhaker also praised Mona Agarwal, who won bronze in the same event with a score of 228.7. "A big congratulations to Avani Lekhara on her incredible Gold medal achievement and to Mona Agarwal for clinching the Bronze at the Paris Paralympics! Your achievements are a testament to perseverance and talent. Well done!," Manu Bhaker said in her post.
Bhaker's pride in fellow shooters' global recognition
Bhaker, who made history by winning India's first medal at the Paris Olympics, expressed great pride in her fellow shooters' achievements. She highlighted how their successes have put India back on the global shooting sports map. Bhaker, Lekhara, and Agarwal have all contributed to raising international awareness of the sport and enhancing India's shooting credentials.
Girl power in full show at Paris
In the recent 2024 Paris Olympics, Bhaker won India's first medal in form of the bronze in women's 10m air pistol event and secured her second bronze in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. This makes her the only Indian athlete to win two medals at the same Olympics. Meanwhile, with her gold today, Lekhara has won three medals at the Paralympics, making her the first Indian para-athlete to win two consecutive Paralympic gold medals.
