19-year-old Avani Lekhara created history at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 after becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event.
Avani finished with a world record-equaling total of 249.6, which is also a new Paralympic record.
She’s the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold after swimmer Murlikant Petkar (1972), javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia (2004 and 2016), and high jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan (2016).
In the SH1 Rifle category, shooters are able to hold a gun with arms. The athletes have an impairment in their legs, for example, amputations or paraplegia. Some compete in a seating position, while others compete in a standing position.
"Every athlete dreams of winning a medal. For the last 5 years, I was working towards representing India at the Paralympics, waiting for this moment. I was not at all thinking about a medal, I was focusing on the process, taking one shot at a time. Now I am feeling like I am on top of the world. This feeling is inexplicable," Avani told Sports Tak.
"This medal is not mine, it’s for the entire country. I want to dedicate this medal to the entire country,” she added.
Not only was the entire nation proud of Avani’s achievement of Olympic gold, but the Indian cricket fraternity also lauded the young shooter’s efforts on Twitter.
Here are some of the tweets:
