Paris Paralympics 2024: Avani Lekhara Wins Gold to Create History
It was a historic day for Indian sports when Avani Lekhara won the gold medal at the Paris Paralympics 2024 in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event. The victory marked Avani Lekhara’s second consecutive gold at the Paralympics and third medal in Paralympics, sealing her position as one of India’s greatest Paralympians. Shatters Her Own RecordLekhara shattered her own Paralympic record for a new high with a final score of 249.7, against the 249.6 score she had set at the Tokyo Paralympics. This journey at the top was never without its fierce competition. A Dramatic Final ShowdownThe final was full of drama, as Lekhara first faced a strong challenge from Yunri Lee of Korea. A shot of 9.9 saw Lekhara slip to the second position, enabling Lee to try and take the top spot. However, a composed 10.5 in her final shot in the gold contest kept Lekhara in the gold medal race. In a surprising twist, Lee cracked under pressure with a disappointing 6.8, which saw Lekhara pip her for gold by a thin margin. Mona Agarwal Adds to India’s Medal TallyIndia’s win in the event was further sweetened by Mona Agarwal’s win of a bronze medal. Agarwal managed a decent performance, ultimately finishing with a score of 228.7. Her effort meant that though she just missed setting up an all-Indian shootout for gold, the contribution to India’s early success in the Paralympics was her doing. A Promising Start for India at the ParalympicsThe historic gold by Avani Lekhara and a bronze by Mona Agarwal opened India’s account in the medals tally at the Paris Paralympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
