On the second day of the Paris Paralympics 2024, para shooters opened India's medal tally with three awards in shooting! The nation currently stands at 19th place with a gold, a silver and three bronze. (Full Paralympics Coverage | More Sports News)
August 30, Friday, was an wonderful day for Avani Lekhara. She not only defended her gold medal in the R2 - Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 category but also set a new personal record, surpassing her Tokyo score. With this, the 2021 Khel Ratna Awardee enters the history books of the Games, adding multiple chapters to her legacy.
The 22-year-old rifle shooter hailing from Rajasthan became the first Indian to win two gold medals back to back at the Paralympic Games. She also became only the second Indian and the first woman from the country to become Paralympic champion twice.
Avani scored a total of 249.7 points in Paris on Friday setting a new Paralympics record leaving behind her own personal best of 249.6 in Tokyo three years ago.
Avani Lekhara Paris Paralympics Next Events
Avani Lekhara's pursuit of medal glory at the Paris Paralympics 2024 extends beyond her gold in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing. She is set to compete in two more events:
Mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1 Qualification: Scheduled for September 1, Sunday, at 1 PM IST, alongside veteran Sidhartha Babu.
Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 Qualification: Set for September 3, Tuesday, at 1 PM IST. Mona Agarwal, who also won a medal (Bronze) in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1, will join Avani in this event.
Mona Agarwal will be aiming for another Paralympic medal in the Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1 event with Sidhartha Babu on September 5, Thursday.
Lakhera had clinched a gold medal in the R2 - Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event and a bronze in the R8 - Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 at Tokyo Para Games 2020.
So far, the medal winners from India at Paris Paralympics 2024 are:
Avani Lekhara - Gold in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (Shooting)
Mona Agarwal - Bronze in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (Shooting)
Rubina Francis - Bronze in Women's 10m air pistol SH1 (Shooting)
Manish Narwal - Silver in Men's 10m air pistol SH1 (Shooting)
Preeti Pal - Bronze in Women's 100m T35 class (Athletics)
