Avani Lekhara secures historic gold at Paris Paralympics
Avani Lekhara has etched her name in history by winning the gold medal in women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. This victory marks her second consecutive top podium finish in this category. Lekhara set a new Paralympic record with her final score of 249.7, surpassing her previous record of 249.6 set at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Here's more.
Lekhara's final shot seals victory
The final round of the event was charged with suspense when Lekhara's penultimate shot of 9.9 briefly put her in second place behind Korea's Yunri Lee. However, her final shot of 10.5 left the result in the balance, hinging on Lee's performance. In a surprising twist, Lee's disappointing score of 6.8 allowed Lekhara to clinch the gold by a substantial 1.9-point margin, solidifying her place as one of India's top Paralympians.
Mona Agarwal clinches bronze in same event
India's success at the Paris Paralympics was further amplified by Mona Agarwal's impressive achievement of winning a bronze medal in the same event. Agarwal finished with a final score of 228.7, slightly missing out on an opportunity to set up an all-Indian shootout for gold. Despite this, her consistent performance throughout the round contributed significantly to India's overall medal tally at the games.
Lekhara: First Indian woman with two Paralympic golds
Lekhara's triumph in Paris makes her the first Indian woman to secure two Paralympic gold medals. She had already made history at the Tokyo Paralympics as the first Indian female shooter to win shooting medals. Alongside winning a gold medal in the 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, she also earned a bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions event at Tokyo. She is now the second Indian Paralympian to secure two gold medals after javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia.
Lekhara's journey to Paralympic success
Lekhara's journey to Paralympic success began after a car accident in 2012 left her paralyzed from the waist down. Her father introduced her to shooting in 2015, and she quickly developed a passion for the sport. She initially trained under coach Chandra Shekhar before bringing on former air rifle Olympian Suma Shirur as her coach. Lekhara earned her first international medal, a bronze, at the 2017 World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) World Cup in Bangkok.
Mona Agarwal's journey to Paralympic bronze
An early onset of polio in her childhood caused the 37-year-old limb impairment rendering her unable to walk. Mona turned to para-sports based on her maternal grandmother's support. However, before turning to para-shooting in mid-2021, Mona was a state-level para-athlete. She secured her 2024 Paralympic berth with a gold medal at the 2024 WSPS World Cup and has a gold medal from the 2024 Para World Cup and a bronze in the 2023 WSPS World Cup.
