Tokyo: Continuing her dream run at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020, para-shooter Avani Lekhara on Friday won a Bronze medal in women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (SH1) event, taking India’s medal tally at the event to 12. This is Avani’s second medal at the event. Earlier, the 19-year-old para-shooter had won a Gold medal in the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing (SH1) event.
Earlier in the day, Avani, who is India’s first women para-athlete to win a Paralympics gold medal, had scored 388, 393 and 395 in Kneeling, Prone and Standing rounds respectively to finish second at the qualification round. Anna Normann of Sweden had finished first in the qualification round while China’s Zhang Cuiping, who had won a Gold medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, had grabbed the third position.
However, Avani didn’t start the final on a positive note and was trailing at the fourth position with a score of 149.5 points. She slipped to the sixth position after the conclusion of the prone round but moved to the fifth position at the beginning of the elimination round. The 19-year-old, who was high on confidence, continued to make the most of her good form as she moved to the fourth position at the end of two series in the standing position. In the final few minutes, Avani registered a perfect score to clinch a bronze medal.
Wishes pour in
As soon as Avani won her second medal at the Games, congratulatory messages started to pour in. Congratulating Avani, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he is elated by her “stupendous performance”. “More glory at the Tokyo Paralympics,” PM Modi tweeted, “congratulations to her on bringing home the Bronze medal. Wishing her the very best for her future endeavours”.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that Avani is an inspiration for youths in India while Abhinav Bindra, who had won a Gold in shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics said that her performance will be remembered for ages. “Wonderful Avani! Once again you have raised the head of the nation by winning another medal in the Paralympics. Entire nation is proud of you…Many congratulations for the bronze medal,” tweeted Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.
Bureau Report
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