Lekhara not only made history with her gold but also opened India's medal account at the 2024 Paralympics
Para shooter Avani Lekhara made history on Friday by becoming the first Indian woman to win two gold medals at the Paralympics. Avani, who initially made headlines as the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 at Tokyo 2020, retained her title in Paris. She claimed her second gold with a record-breaking score of 249.7 points, surpassing her previous record of 249.6 set in Tokyo.
AVANI LEKHARA -๐ฅ in 2020 & ๐ฅ in 2024 Paralympics. ๐ฅถ
โ Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 30, 2024
A Great in Indian Sports....!!!!! pic.twitter.com/j8f1m2ujND
At just 22, Avani joins javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia as the only Indian Paralympian with two gold medals. This latest victory is her third Paralympic medal, adding to the bronze she won in Tokyo's women's 50m rifle three-position SH1 event.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐ & ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ณ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
โ India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) August 30, 2024
Avani Lekhara wins GOLD & Mona Agarwal wins Bronze medal in 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 (Shooting). #Paris2024 #Paralympics2024 pic.twitter.com/C897FJPuQS
Lekhara made history with her gold and opened India's medal account at the 2024 Paralympics. Her incredible performance in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 was matched by a fellow Indian competitor, Mona Agarwal, who secured a bronze medal in the same event. This double delight showcased India's growing strength in Paralympic shooting, with both athletes standing tall on the podium. Lekhara's gold and Agarwal's bronze are a proud moment for the nation, marking a powerful start for India in Paris.
๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฅ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ! Avani Lekhara wins back-to-back Paralympic Golds, setting a new Paralympic record with a score of 249.6. She becomes the second Indian para-athlete to win multiple Gold medals at the Paralympics.
โ Sportwalk Media (@sportwalkmedia) August 30, 2024
๐ชโฆ pic.twitter.com/AqieUEW8zu
Hailing from Jaipur, Rajasthan, Lekhara's life took a drastic turn. A car accident in 2012 left her confined to a wheelchair, the lower half of her body paralysed at the age of 11. But while the accident altered her physical abilities, it couldn't touch her spirit or her dreams. Despite the physical and emotional challenges, her father encouraged her to pursue sports, initially guiding her toward archery.
However, Avani discovered her true passion for shooting. She soon proved her talent, winning her first gold medal in a regional shooting competition at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Jaipur. This early victory marked the beginning of a remarkable journey in Paralympic sports.
๐ฅ in 2020 Paralympics at Tokyo.
โ Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 30, 2024
๐ฅ In 2024 Paralympics at Paris.
AVANI LEKHARA, The Champion of India. ๐ฎ๐ณ pic.twitter.com/OnP6STvdEV
In 2018, Avani Lekhara competed at the Asian Para Games, setting the stage for her qualification for the Tokyo Paralympics in 2021. Her rise to fame began at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, where she became the first Indian woman to win gold in shooting. Her success didn't stop there; she also secured a bronze in another category, joining an elite group of Indian athletes with multiple Paralympic medals. In 2022, Avani's winning streak continued with two gold medals and a silver at the World Cup, followed by another gold at the Asian Para Games.
GOLD FOR AVANI LEKHARA...!!!! ๐ฎ๐ณ
โ Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 30, 2024
First Gold medal for India in Paralympics at Paris 2024, What a moment, Avani the Superstar. ๐ช pic.twitter.com/Ri7Dg7Xho8
By January 2023, she had earned the prestigious World No. 1 rank in the women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 World Shooting Para Sport Rankings. At the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, Avani continued her winning streak, clinching gold in the 10 m air rifle event. Her remarkable achievements have been recognised with India's highest sporting honour, the Khel Ratna, in 2021, followed by the Padma Shri in 2022.