Avani Lekhara Secures Second Gold and Breaks Paralympic Record

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India had a spectacular start at the Paris Paralympics, with Avani Lekhara successfully defending her title in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, earning gold for the second consecutive Games. Avani shattered her previous Paralympic record from Tokyo 2020, cementing her status as India’s most decorated female Paralympic athlete.

In addition to Avani’s triumph, India also secured a bronze medal in the shooting event through Mona Agarwal, 36. This achievement mirrors the success of the Paris Olympics, where Manu Bhaker won India’s first medal, setting the tone for Indian shooters at the Paralympics.

An ardent fan of Abhinav Bindra, Avani Lekhara has now become the first Indian female para-athlete to win three Paralympic medals. She previously earned gold in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 and bronze in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 at Tokyo, making her the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold.

Avani’s Thrilling Victory

The final at the Chateauroux – Final Range was intensely dramatic. Avani Lekhara was in second place until her final shot. Despite South Korea’s Lee Yunri initially leading and looking poised to claim gold, a disappointing 6.8 from Lee in her last attempt allowed Avani to seize the opportunity with a score of 10.5, ultimately securing the gold with a new Paralympic record of 249.7. This surpassed her previous record of 249.6 set in Tokyo.

Mona Agarwal earned the bronze with a score of 228.7. Although she was in the lead before the final elimination round, a 10 in her last shot prevented a higher finish, despite a strong start with a 10.6.

Avani Lekhara’s Inspiring Journey

Avani’s life took a dramatic turn in 2012 when a car accident left her paralyzed from the waist down. Instead of giving up, her father, Praveen Lekhara, introduced her to shooting in 2015 at the Jagatpura Shooting Range in Jaipur, where she discovered her passion for the sport.

Motivated by Abhinav Bindra’s autobiography, Avani began training with coach Chandra Shekhar and later engaged former Olympian Suma Shirur as her personal coach. Her dedication led to her first international medal, a bronze, at the 2017 World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) World Cup in Bangkok.

Avani’s stellar performance at the Tokyo Paralympics brought her national recognition and led to further success, including a record-breaking achievement at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.