India early on Day 10 of Tokyo Paralympics 2020, added two more medals – silver by Praveen Kumar in Men’s High Jump – T64 final making him India’s youngest medalist at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020, at 18. And a bronze by Avani Lekhara in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3P SH1 Final, as she created records on the way.
The Para-shooter hailing from Jaipur bagged her second medal at Tokyo, claiming bronze with a total score of 445.9 in the R8 – Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 final at the Asaka Shooting Range.
The moment💜 Outstanding from Avani Lekhara. Only 19 yrs and the youngest competitor in the final, she can only get better. Two medals: a #Gold and a #Bronze already. #Tokyo2020 #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/Oi0YZoFisY
— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) September 3, 2021
Earlier, she had won the gold in the R2 – Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 final event and became the 1st Indian woman to do so at the Paralympics. But again with this bronze, she is now the 1st Indian woman to win 2 medals at the Paralympic Games.
Avani Lekhara makes history!
She becomes the first #IND woman to win two medals in #Paralympics
🥇 – Women's 10m Air Rifle R2 SH1 Event
🥉- Women's 50m Rifle 3P SH1 Event #Tokyo2020 #Praise4Para #Cheer4India— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) September 3, 2021
In the year 2015, Avani Lekhara began shooting at the Jagatpura Sports Complex in Jaipur. She was inspired by the 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist, shooter Abhinav Bindra after reading his autobiography “A Shot at History”.
The Final of the R8 – Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 ended with China’s Zhang Cuiping taking home the gold with a Paralympic Record of 457.9. The silver went to Germany’s Natascha Hiltrop with 457.1 and India’s Avani Lekhara claimed the third spot.
However, for Avani it’s not over at Tokyo Paralympics 2020 as she has one more event to compete in, the R6 – Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1 Qualification which is set to be held on 5th September, Sunday.
