Shooter Avani becomes 1st woman to clinch gold

Shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history on Monday as she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event here.

The 19-year-old Avani, who sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012, finished with a world record-equalling total of 249.6, which is also a new Paralympic record. Hers is also the first shooting medal that India has logged at the showpiece. “I am so happy that I could contribute to it,” said Avani.

In the R-1 men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, Mahavir Swaroop Unhalkar missed out on the podium, finishing fourth with a total of 203.9, while his compatriot Deepak was ousted in the qualification round after firing 592.6. Avani edged out 2016 Rio Games gold medallist Cuiping Zhang of China, who clinched the silver medal with a total of 248.9.

World No.1 Iryna Shchetnik of Ukraine took home bronze with an effort of 227.5. “I was saying just one thing to myself: ‘Nothing else matters now, just take one shot at a time and finish it.’ I just think that I have to follow the process. Beyond that, I try not to think about the score or the medal tally,” Avani said while reflecting on her final.

Appearing in her maiden Paralympics, Avani, ranked fifth in the world, consistently shot 10s in both the competition stages. She was set to obliterate the world record, but two 9.9s towards the end cost her the record. In the qualification round, teenager Avani had finished seventh with a total 621.7.