India’s medal count at the ongoing Paris Paralympics kickstarted on a great note in the Women’s 10m air rifle final (SH1). Indian para shooter Avani Lekhara etched her name in history after becoming the first Indian woman to win three individual medals in the Paralympics.
Champion Of Change – Avani Lekhara Scripted History
The 22-year-old achieved the milestone after she won the gold medal in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 Finals on Friday, August 30th at Chateauroux – Final Range. Although Mona was in the running for gold earlier, her last shot of 10 in the final round ended up costing her a higher finish.
The recent win highlights Avani’s incredible journey since a terrible car accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down at the age of 11. With strong support from her father, Praveen Lekhara, she found a new passion for shooting in 2015. Inspired by Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra‘s book, Avani trained hard with coach Chandra Shekhar and later with former Olympian Suma Shirur.
“The sport happened to me quite by chance. I was in class nine, and it was our summer vacation. I tried out a number of sports, like archery and swimming. The [Jagatpura] shooting range is close to where I live in Jaipur, so it was the easiest option to pick. The first time I went to the range, I got 10-20 shots in the black circle. The coach there then suggested I try the sport full time. As I progressed from one tier of competition to the next, I started loving the sport. Shooting made me feel confident and happy,” Lekhara had told.
Avani’s hard work paid off in 2017 when she won her first international medal, a bronze, at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Bangkok.
In the year 2021, Avani made history by becoming the first female shooter from India to win medals in shooting at the Tokyo Paralympics. In shooting, the SH1 category is for athletes who have limited movement in their arms, lower trunks, and legs, or who are missing limbs.
Besides Avani Lekhara, the other Indians to have won three medals are Joginder Singh Bedi and Devendra Jhajharia. Avani finished on top with a score of a score of 249.7, which also happened to be a Paralympic record. She also broke her record of 249.6 which she achieved in Tokyo three years ago. Yunri, who had been leading, missed her last shot, scoring just 6.8, which allowed Avani to win.
Avani Has Received Several Prestigious Awards
Avani Lekhara’s achievements have earned her widespread praise and recognition including the prestigious Padma Shri Awards in 2021. She also has three medals in World Cups and one in the Asian Para Games. She won the prestigious Khel Ratna Award in 2021 and also received the award for the Best Debut in the Paralympics Awards in the same year.
Meanwhile, Avani’s journey in shooting is a story of sheer determination and hard work. She is an inspiration for many young talents out there who want to achieve something big in their lives. We salute Avani and her courageous spirit.
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