Bringing glory to the nation, Jaipur’s star-shooter Avani Lekhara has become the first Indian woman to clinch two medals at the Tokyo Paralympics. Bagging a bronze in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3-positions SH1, she scored her second medal at the international tournament today. Before this, the prodigious girl brought home India’s first Gold at the Paralympics, outperforming all other participants in R2 Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH, held on August 30.
Yet another addition to her list of firsts!
With a remarkable finishing score of 1176 in the qualifying stage, Avani qualified for the finals today, where she secured a Bronze amid wide cheer and appreciation, defeating a player from Ukraine. Previously, Avani’s big win in the 10m shooting event got India, the first-ever shooting medal at the Paralympics. Now, she has added yet another achievement to her list of firsts, by getting two medals.
During a car accident in 2012, Avani suffered from spinal cord injuries but this did not hamper her spirits to excel. 9 years later, she set a new record at the Tokyo Paralympics, becoming a striking symbol of inspiration for all. Reportedly, she fired a total of 249.6 at the 10-metre event, which equals the world record.
An unmatched symbol of will and determination!
While she began her journey as a young girl upon her father’s insistence, she has come a long way in setting an unprecedented example of will and determination. Notably, Devendra Jhajharia is another paralympic athlete from India, who has credited himself with multiple medals at the event. Given the long list of accomplishments recorded by Indian sportspersons at the Tokyo tournament, the nation is surely going to leave a mark this season.
