Avani Lekhara successfully defended her gold medal in the Women’s 10m air rifle final (SH1) at the Paris Paralympics, while Mona Agarwal secured the bronze. This achievement marks India's growing medal tally on the second day of the competition.
Not only did Avani Lekhara defend her gold medal from the Tokyo Paralympics, but she also surpassed her own Paralympics record by achieving a score of 249.7, surpassing her previous record of 249.6 set three years ago.
During the qualifying rounds, Avani shot a score of 625.8, placing her behind Iryna Shchetnik, who set a new Paralympic Qualification Record with a score of 627.5. Mona, a two-time World Cup gold medallist competing in her first Paralympics, achieved a score of 623.1.
Not only did Avani Lekhara defend her gold medal from the Tokyo Paralympics, but she also surpassed her own Paralympics record by achieving a score of 249.7, surpassing her previous record of 249.6 set three years ago.
During the qualifying rounds, Avani shot a score of 625.8, placing her behind Iryna Shchetnik, who set a new Paralympic Qualification Record with a score of 627.5. Mona, a two-time World Cup gold medallist competing in her first Paralympics, achieved a score of 623.1.
Avani has matched Devendra Jhajharia's all-time India record at the Paralympics. Jhajharia, who secured two gold and a silver medal at the Paralympics, now shares this achievement with Avani, who has also earned three Paralympic medals.
Avani's remarkable performance at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021, where she won gold in the SH1 category and bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 category, solidified her status as a top athlete in the sport.
During the competition, Avani demonstrated exceptional composure and skill, consistently scoring above 10.0 with only a rare miss of 9.9 on her second-last attempt. Despite facing tough competition from Yunri Lee of South Korea, who displayed remarkable consistency, Avani managed to defend her gold medal.
Lee, who was on the verge of winning the gold, faltered at the last moment with a score of 6.8 under pressure, settling for silver. Meanwhile, Mona showcased her talent at the shooting range, securing the bronze medal - her first at the Paralympics. Mona, a top contender for a medal, had previously won gold at the WSPS Para Shooting World Cup in March 2024, marking her fourth international event.
