NEW DELHI: Expert Indian markswoman Avani Lekhara produced yet another outstanding performance on Friday, placing second to qualify for the Women's 10m air rifle final (SH1) at the Paris Paralympics, igniting anticipation for an encore performance at the Tokyo Games in which she would win the gold medal.
India's Mona Agarwal, who has also been incredibly good over the past year, qualified for the eight-shooter final by placing fifth, giving the country a chance to win two medals, as per PTI.
In her first Paralympics, Mona, a two-time World Cup gold medallist, shot 623.1. Defending champion Avani shot 625.8, placing her behind Iryna Shchetnik, who broke the Paralympic Qualification Record with a score of 627.5.
Avani became the first female shooter from the nation to win medals in shooting at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. She is wheelchair bound after a vehicle accident left her paralyzed below the waist when she was 11 years old.
Avani finished third in the 50-meter rifle 3-positions, capping off her gold-medal victory in the 10m air rifle.
Shooters in the SH1 category are those who lack limbs or have movement limitations in their arms, lower trunk, or legs.
