Shooter Avani Lekhara became the primary Indian woman to win a Paralympic medal as she topped stage in women’s 10m gun Standing (SH1) event at the Tokyo Paralympics on Monday. The Indian shooter created a Paralympics record and equalled the planet record with a score of 249.6 to win the medal. China’s Cuiping Zhang won silver with 248.9 and Ukraine’s Iryna Shchetnik took bronze with a complete of 227.5. Lekhara’s was India’s first para gold in shooting at the Paralympics and she or he equalled Iryna Shchetnik’s record that was set in 2018. She also became the primary Indian woman to win a gold at the Paralympics.
Lekhara became the fourth Indian athlete to win a medal at the Paralympics after swimmer Murlikant Petkar in 1972, javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia in 2004 and 2016 and high jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan in 2016.
Shooters are ready to hold a gun with arms within the SH1 Rifle category. Athletes have an impairment in their legs as some athletes compete during a seated position while others compete during a standing position.
