Paris Paralympics 2024: Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal Opens India's Medal Account

With the winning of Gold Medal by Avani Lekhara and Bronze Medal by Mona Agarwal in the Women's 10m Air Rifle shooting event, India has opened her medal account in the Paris Paralympics with subsequent two medals. This is for the first time that India has achieved a double podium finish in any event in this paralympics.

This points scored by Avani Lekhara was not just a gold winning score, but a new Paralympic record. Lekhara achieved a score of 249.7, surpassing her previous record of 249.6 set during her Golden win at Tokyo Paralympics 2020. This is Avani's third Paralympic medal. She previously won two medals in Tokyo Paralympics. Bronze medalist Mona Agarwal earned her first-ever Paralympic podium finish with a score of 228.7.

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Avani Lekhara’s Journey to Gold Medal

This victory in the women’s 10m air rifle (SH1) event made Avani Lekhara, first Indian woman para-athlete to win two Paralympic gold medals.

GOLD 🥇 For INDIA 🇮🇳

Avani Lekhara wins gold medal in the Women's 10m air Rifle SH1 event with a score of 249.7 🙌#Paris2024 #Cheer4Bharat #Paralympics2024 @mansukhmandviya @MIB_India @PIB_India @IndiaSports @ParalympicIndia @PCI_IN_Official @Media_SAI @AkashvaniAIR… pic.twitter.com/mcFf6gxQ1t

— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) August 30, 2024

Avani, who uses a wheelchair due to a car accident that left her paralyzed below the waist at age 11, also won gold at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.

In the qualification round, defending champion Avani Lekhara scored 625.8, placing her second behind Iryna Shchetnik, who set a new Paralympic qualification record with 627.5. 

Mona Agarwal, who started shooting in 2022, won the bronze medal with an impressive score of 228.7. 

Paris Paralympics 2024: What is SH1 Category?

The SH1 category in the shooting event of Paralympics is for athletes with movement issues in their arms, lower trunk, legs, or those who have lost limbs. 

With 84 athletes competing in 55 events, India is aiming to surpass its previous best of 19 medals from the Tokyo Paralympics.

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