Avani Lekhara made history at the Paris Paralympics by winning a gold medal in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, becoming the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic gold medals. She set a new Paralympic record with a score of 249.7, surpassing her previous record of 249.6 from the Tokyo Paralympics. The final round was intense, with Lekhara temporarily dropping to second place after scoring a 9.9 in her penultimate shot. However, her final shot of 10.5 put her back in contention for the gold. Her competitor, Korea’s Yunri Lee, struggled under pressure and shot a 6.8, allowing Lekhara to secure the gold by a margin of 1.9 points.

India’s success was further boosted by Mona Agarwal, who won the bronze medal with a score of 228.7. Mona was consistently strong throughout the competition and was even in the lead after 20 shots. However, a score of 10.0 in her 22nd shot ended her chances of competing for the gold.

The SH1 shooting category is for athletes with impairments affecting their arms, lower trunk, and legs or those with missing limbs. Lekhara’s achievement adds to her legacy as one of India’s greatest Paralympians, having also won a gold and bronze in the Tokyo Paralympics.