India secures gold and bronze in women's 10 m air rifle standing SH1 at Paralympics

PARIS: India clinched gold for the second consecutive time in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 category at the Paralympics, with this year's victory marked by a new world record. Shooter Avani Lekhra won the gold medal, setting a new record of 249.7, surpassing the previous mark of 249.6 set in Japan. This achievement makes Avani the first Indian woman to win three individual medals at the Paralympics.

In addition to the gold, India also secured a bronze in the same event, with 36-year-old Mona Aggarwal earning the medal. Mona had previously won gold in this category at the Tokyo Paralympics and also took bronze in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event during the same games.

Avani Lekhra's journey to the top is particularly inspiring. The 22-year-old was paralyzed from the waist down following a car accident at the age of 11. Despite concerns over her physical health, Avani was determined to compete this time, as confirmed by her father, Praveen Kumar Lekhra.