Indian shooters led the medal charge for the country on Day 2 of the Paris Paralympics, showcasing their dominance on the global stage. Avani Lekhara, a beacon of excellence in para-sports, defended her crown in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, securing the gold medal for the second consecutive time at the Paralympics. With this victory, Avani not only broke her own Paralympic record from Tokyo 2020 but also solidified her status as India’s most decorated female Paralympic athlete.
Joining Avani on the podium was Mona Agarwal, who clinched the bronze medal in the same event. The 36-year-old shooter exhibited remarkable resilience and skill, maintaining her composure through a tense final. Mona, who was in contention for the gold, ultimately finished with a score of 228.7, narrowly missing out on a higher podium finish. Her bronze medal win mirrors the achievements of India’s shooters at the Tokyo Olympics, where they also opened the medal tally for the country.
Adding to India’s impressive haul was Manish Narwal, who secured a silver medal in the Men’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 event. Manish delivered a stellar performance, scoring 234.9 points, and pushing Korea’s Jeongdu Jo, the eventual gold medalist, to the limit. This silver adds to Manish’s growing collection of Paralympic accolades, following his gold in the mixed SH1 50m pistol event at the Tokyo Games.
In a historic moment for Indian athletics, Preethi Pal etched her name in the record books by winning India’s first-ever track medal at the Paralympics. The sprinter from Uttar Pradesh secured a bronze medal in the women’s 100m T35 final, setting a new personal best of 14.21 seconds.