Paris Paralympics 2024: Shooters Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal qualify for women's 10m air rifle final

By Sunita Iyer | First Published Aug 30, 2024, 1:48 PM IST

Indian shooters Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal on Friday qualified for the final of the women's 10m air rifle (SH1) event at the Paris Paralympics 2024.

Ace Indian shooter Avani Lekhara delivered a standout performance by qualifying in second place for the Women's 10m air rifle final (SH1) at the Paris Paralympics on Friday. This achievement has fueled hopes of a repeat of her Tokyo Games gold medal success.

Joining her in the final is compatriot Mona Agarwal, who has also been in exceptional form over the past year. Agarwal secured the fifth spot, offering India a promising opportunity to clinch two medals in the event.

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This marks a historic achievement as it is the first time India has had two women shooters advance to the final in this category.

🇮🇳🔥 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗟𝗲𝗸𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮 & 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗔𝗴𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗹! The Paralympic 🥇 medalist Avani Lekhara finished 2nd in the qualification round with a total score of 625.8.

👏🏻 Mona Agarwal finished 5th with a total score of 623.1.

⏰… pic.twitter.com/ftCassKMm1

— Sportwalk Media (@sportwalkmedia)

For the 1⃣st time at the , India will have two women qualifying for the final in 🌟🔥

In the R2 Women's 10m Air Rifle SH1 event, Avani Lekhara finishes 2⃣nd with a score of 625.8 while debutant Mona Agarwal finishes 5⃣th with a score of 623.1… pic.twitter.com/Bc3Ge1QHPf

— The Bridge (@the_bridge_in)

Defending champion Avani Lekhara scored 625.8 to secure second place in the Women's 10m air rifle final (SH1) at the Paris Paralympics. She trailed behind Iryna Shchetnik, who set a new Paralympic Qualification Record with a score of 627.5.

Mona Agarwal, competing in her first Paralympics, achieved a score of 623.1 to qualify in fifth place.

Avani, who uses a wheelchair after a car accident at age 11 left her paralyzed from the waist down, made history as the first Indian woman shooter to win medals at the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. She not only claimed gold in the 10m air rifle but also added a bronze in the 50m rifle 3-positions.

The SH1 category in shooting is for athletes with impaired movement in their arms, lower trunk, legs, or those with limb absence.

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