Paris Paralympics: Avani Lekhara Strikes Gold, Mona Agarwal Wins Bronze in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1

Paris: Avani Lekhara made history on Thursday by winning a gold medal at the Paris Paralympics, becoming the first Indian woman to clinch two Paralympic golds. Lekhara delivered an exceptional performance, surpassing her previous Paralympic record with a final score of 249.7, edging out her Tokyo record of 249.6.

The final round was intense, with Lekhara momentarily dropping to second place after a penultimate shot of 9.9. South Korea’s Yunri Lee seemed set to claim the gold, but Lekhara’s steady final shot of 10.5 put her back in contention. Under pressure, Lee faltered with a 6.8, allowing Lekhara to secure the gold by a margin of 1.9 points, cementing her status as one of India’s greatest Paralympians.

India’s success was further highlighted by Mona Agarwal, who won a bronze medal with a final score of 228.7. Mona had briefly led after 20 shots with a score of 208.1 but finished third after a 10.0 in her 22nd shot.

Lekhara’s achievements are particularly remarkable, as she became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals at the Paralympics. She had earlier made history at the Tokyo Paralympics, winning gold in the same event and a bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions.

The SH1 category in shooting includes athletes with movement impairments affecting their arms, lower trunk, and legs or those with limb amputations.