Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Avani Lekhara after she bagged a gold medal with a world record score of 250.6 in Women's 10m Air Rifle standing SH1 at the Chateauroux Para Shooting World Cup to secure a place at the Paris Paralympics 2024.
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"Congratulations @AvaniLekhara for this historic accomplishment. May you keep scaling newer heights of success and inspiring others. My best wishes," PM Modi tweeted.
Avani Lekhara had thanked the Prime Minister for supporting her after she won gold and secured a spot for Paris 2024."Proud to bring home the gold medal in the R2 10M Air Rifle SH1 event with a WR score & 1st #Paris2024 Quota, at the #Chateauroux2022. My 1st Int. event since the @paralympics. A big thank you to everyone who has supported me! @narendramodi @ianuragthakur @ParalympicIndia @Media_SAI, " Avani Lekhara had tweeted after winning the gold medal.
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist shooter Avani Lekhara broke her own world record of 249.6. Poland's Emilia Babska bagged the silver medal with a total of 247.6, while the bronze was won by Anna Normann of Sweden with a total of 225.6.
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SH1 category is for athletes with lower limb impairment for competition in rifle events. Lekhara won the gold just three days after being on the verge of missing out on the Para Shooting World Cup as her coach and escort were denied visas. After the intervention of the Sports Ministry and Sports Authority of India, the Visa was cleared.
Last year Avani Lekhara clinched a gold medal and a bronze medal at the Tokyo Paralympics. She won a gold in the 10-meter Air Rifle standing event in the SH1 category and followed it up with a bronze in the women's 50-metre rifle 3 positions SH1 event, making her the first Indian woman to win multiple medals at the Paralympics.
