Mona Agarwal Wins Gold, Avani Lekhara Takes Silver in Asian Para Games Shooting

India opened its medal account at the Asian Para Games on Monday with a one-two finish in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, as Mona Agarwal won gold and Avani Lekhara secured silver.

Mona, a bronze medallist at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, staged a remarkable comeback to finish with 250.0 points, setting a new Asian Para Games final record. Avani, a two-time Paralympic champion and defending Asian Para Games champion, scored 249.6 points to take silver. South Korea’s Yunri Lee won bronze with 227.9 points.

The contest went down to the final shot. Mona held a narrow lead of 239.2 to 239.1 points before producing a decisive 10.8, while Avani managed 10.5. The difference of just 0.4 points separated the two Indian shooters at the finish.

Mona had also dominated the qualification round, scoring 629.1 points to establish an Asian Para Games qualification record, surpassing the previous mark held by China’s Zhang Cuiping. Her score narrowly missed the world record of 629.4, jointly held by Avani and Slovakia’s Veronika Vadovicova. Avani qualified second with 626.4 points.

The victory marked another milestone for the 38-year-old shooter from Rajasthan, who began rifle shooting in December 2021 after participating in other para sports, including powerlifting and sitting volleyball. She won bronze at the Paris Paralympics and silver at the World Shooting Para Sport Championships in Changwon, South Korea, last month.

The result also secured India’s second quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, with Mona having already earned one through the world championships. The SH1 category is for shooters with lower-limb impairments.

The achievement provided a strong start to India’s campaign, highlighting the country’s growing strength in international para shooting.