Avani Lekhara has made history as the first Indian to win consecutive Paralympic gold medals, delivering a record-breaking performance in the women's 10m air rifle (SH1) event. She was joined on the podium by Mona Agarwal, who secured the bronze, marking a historic double for India in this event.
Avani, 22, claimed gold with a stellar score of 249.7, surpassing her own Paralympic record of 249.6 set at the Tokyo Games three years ago. The competition was intense, with Avani trailing behind South Korea's Lee Yunri by a few decimal points. However, Lee's final shot of 6.8 opened the door for Avani, who maintained her focus and delivered a solid 10.5 to secure victory. This triumph came after a challenging preparation period for Avani, who had undergone gallbladder surgery and needed a month-and-a-half to recover.
Despite losing weight during her recovery, Avani showed remarkable perseverance. During the national camp at the Karni Singh Ranges, she focused on regaining her strength and mental resilience. She attributed her success to the supportive environment in the camp, which helped her overcome fitness challenges. Reflecting on her victory, Avani expressed her gratitude: "I am happy to win a medal for my country. I am thankful to my team, my coaches, and my parents."
The final was a nail-biting affair, with the lead alternating between Avani, Mona, and Lee. However, Avani's consistency under pressure ensured her gold. The SH1 category includes athletes with limited movement in their arms, lower trunk, or legs, or those without limbs. Avani, who has been using a wheelchair since a car accident at age 11 left her paralyzed below the waist, continues to inspire with her remarkable achievements.
This event also marked the first time two Indian shooters have medaled in a single Paralympic event. Mona Agarwal, 37, earned the bronze with a score of 228.7. Mona had explored various sports, including shot-put, powerlifting, and wheelchair volleyball, before focusing on shooting.
Earlier in the competition, Avani qualified for the final in second place with a score of 625.8, while Mona secured the fifth spot with 623.1. Ukraine's Iryna Shchetnik set a new Paralympic Qualification Record with a score of 627.5.
Avani's gold medal is expected to boost her confidence as she prepares for the 50m rifle 3-positions event, where she also aims for a medal, having won bronze in this event at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Adding to India's success at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Indian sprinter Preeti Pal secured a bronze medal in the women's 100m T35 event. Pal clocked a personal best time of 14.21 seconds, finishing behind China's Xia Zhou (gold, 13.58 seconds - season best) and Qianqian Guo (silver, 13.74 seconds - personal best). This marks Pal's second bronze medal in the 100m T35 event at a major international competition this year, following her performance at the 2024 World Para Athletics Championship, which also qualified her for the Paris Paralympics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Pal on her achievement via social media, emphasizing the inspirational impact of her success on aspiring athletes across the nation. "More glory for India as Preeti Pal wins a Bronze medal in the 100m T35 event at the #Paralympics2024. Congratulations to her. This success will certainly motivate budding athletes," PM Modi wrote on X.