Paris Paralympics 2024: Record-Breaking Avani Lekhara “Happy” To Win Another Gold Medal For India

Record-breaking Avani Lekhara is thrilled to win a medal for India in Paris Paralympics 2024, and feels motivated after sharing the podium with compatriot Mona Agarwal in the women's 10m air rifle (SH1) event on Friday (August 30).

Winner of the Tokyo Paralympics gold three years back, the incredible Avani shot a superb 249.7, breaking her own Paralympic record of 249.6 set in the Japanese capital three years ago to win the yellow metal for the second successive Paralympic Games in the even.

After clinching her second successive gold medal in Paralympics, Avani said that it feels nice to defend her Paralympic title and win another medal for India at the Paralympic Games.

"I am happy to win a medal for my country. I am thankful to my team, my coaches and my parents," said Avani after the match. "It feels very nice to win another gold medal for my country and to defend my title, very nice."

The SH1 category is for athletes who have movement affected in their arms, lower trunk, legs or have no limbs. This is the first time in India's Paralympic history that two shooters have pulled off medals in a single event.

In a nerve-wracking final, Avani was trailing her rival Lee Yunri by a few decimal points but the South Korean wilted under pressure and had an awful last shot of 6.8, while Avani kept her cool to shoot a superb 10.5 to clinch the gold with a Paralympics record.

"It was a very close final. There was very less gap between 1, 2 and 3. I was focussing on my thought process and not the result," Avani said after her historic win.

"I'm happy that the Indian national anthem was the first national anthem that got played in the arena this time too. I have two more matches to go so I'm focusing on winning more medals for the country," the champion shooter added.

The 37-year-old Mona, who dabbled in several sports including shot-put, powerlifting and wheelchair volleyball before settling on shooting, notched up 228.7 for the third-place finish.

Avani, who had a bronze-winning Mona for company on the podium in a historic double for the country, said sharing the podium with her compatriot will only motivate her further.

"It feels. It is great motivation to have her on the podium," Avani further added before the para shooter said she was hopeful of receiving a phone call from the President to congratulate her.

Mona meanwhile said, "It was very difficult but I succeeded. So, thank you. Being in the company of Avani definitely helped. She is a champion and she inspires me."

The 10m Air Rifle success will come as a huge boost for Avani ahead of the 50m rifle 3-positions event, where she is also a firm favourite for a medal after winning bronze in the previous edition of the Games in Tokyo.

The youngster, who is wheel-chair bound after a car mishap left her paralysed below the waist as an 11-years-old, had became the first woman shooter from the country to win medals in shooting at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.

Avani, who hails from Jaipur, endured a tough buildup to the Paralympics. She grappled with a host of health issues, including a gallbladder surgery, which forced her to take a recovery break of one and half months.

But the committed shooter, who is an assistant conservator of forest with the Rajasthan government, did not let health concerns distract her from her aim of Paralympic glory.

She lost quite a bit of weight following the surgery but the determination to overcome all odds was all too evident during the national camp at the Karni Singh ranges, where she worked hard on regaining her strength and mentally steeling herself for Paris.