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Paralympics: Avani Lekhara clinches bronze, becomes first Indian woman to win two medals

Born in Jaipur, Avani took up the sport in April 2015, and started training under Suma in early 2018.

By
Avani Lekhara
Avani Lekhara continued her impressive form in Tokyo.

Bengaluru, September 3: India's Avani Lekhara won her second medal of Paralympics 2020, this time a bronze in the Women's 50M Rifle 3 Positions SH1 category in Tokyo, to increase country's medal tally at Tokyo to 12.

It may be recalled that on Monday (August 30), the 19-year-old, who is a trainee of Olympian shooter Suma Shirur at the Mumbai-based Lakshya Shooting Club, had created history in Tokyo when she became the first Indian woman athlete to win a Paralympics gold with her total of 249.6 in the 10M Air Rifle Standing SH1.

And on Friday (September 3), the 19-year-old promising para shooter added the Women's 50M Rifle 3 Positions SH1 bronze to her ever-swelling collection with a score of 445.9.

China's four-time gold medallist Cuiping Zhang set a Paralympic Record of 457.9 to clinch the gold while Germany's Natascha Hiltrop won the silver with 457.1.

In the process, Avani became the first Indian woman to win two medals at the same Paralympic Games.

The first Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics was Deepa Malik in the women's shot put F53 at the 2016 Rio Games.

With Avani's bronze, India have taken their tally at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics to an all-time high of 12 -- two gold, five silver and as many bronze medals.

It was India's second medal of the day following Praveen Kumar's silver in the Men's High Jump T64 Final.

Paralympics: Praveen Kumar clinches silver in high jumpParalympics: Praveen Kumar clinches silver in high jump

Avani has a chance to complete a hat-trick of medals on Sunday (September 5), the concluding day of Paralympics 2020 when the Lakshya -product, along with Deepak Saini and Sidhartha Babu compete in the Mixed 50M rifle prone SH1 category.

Born in Jaipur, Avani took up the sport in April 2015, and started training under Suma in early 2018.

Paralympics: Lakshya's darling Avani is now the toast of the nationParalympics: Lakshya's darling Avani is now the toast of the nation

Since then, it has been a memorable journey for Avani, fulfilling her dream of qualifying for the Paralympics with a gold-medal winning feat and now following it up with a bronze.

Athletes in SH1 Rifle have an impairment in their legs, for example amputations or paraplegia. Some athletes will compete in a seated position, while others will compete in a standing position.

Avani, has quite often admitted that she was inspired by Abhinav Bindra after reading his autobiography.

Bindra, India's first individual Olympic gold-medallist was all praise for Avani.

"@AvaniLekhara, take a bow young lady! A Bronze in 50m Rifle to add to your historic Gold at the #Tokyo2020 Paralympics. A performance for the ages! Many Congratulations #Praise4Para," Bindra tweeted.

Avani qualified second for the event with a score of 1176, including 51 inner 10s.

In the fiercely contested finals, Avani totalled 445.9 to finish ahead of Ukraine''s Iryna Shchetnik, who let slip her grip on the medal spot with a poor third shot of 9.9 in the elimination.

The Jaipur-based shooter had sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012.

Prior to her, Joginder Singh Sodhi was the lone Indian to win multiple medals in the same edition of the Games when he fetched one silver and two bronze medals in the 1984 Paralympics.

His silver came in shot put, while the two bronze medals were won in discus and javelin throw.

Story first published: Friday, September 3, 2021, 11:57 [IST]
Other articles published on Sep 3, 2021
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