Mona Agarwal completed the podium finish by securing a bronze medal for India.
The remarkable Avani Lekhara made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win two Paralympic gold medals after her victory in the women’s 10m air rifle (SH1) event on Friday. Her compatriot, Mona Agarwal, also performed admirably, earning a bronze medal. Avani, who had previously won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics three years ago, scored an impressive 249.7, surpassing her own record of 249.6 set in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Mona, who began shooting in 2022, achieved a score of 228.7 to claim the bronze. Avani, who has been wheelchair-bound since a car accident left her paralyzed below the waist at the age of 11, was the first female shooter from India to win medals in shooting at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021.
The SH1 category in shooting is for athletes with impaired movement in their arms, lower trunk, legs, or who have lost limbs.
In the qualification round, Avani, the defending champion, scored 625.8, placing her second behind Iryna Shchetnik, who set a new Paralympic qualification record with a score of 627.5.
Competing in her first Paralympics, Mona, a two-time World Cup gold medalist, scored 623.1 in the qualification round, securing fifth place and advancing to the final.