Avani Lekhara marks history, other Indian athletes also won medals.
Shooter Avani Lekhara makes history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics 2021. She made it to the top of the podium in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event. She finished with a total of 249.6 making a world record which is also the new Paralympics record. She is the fourth Indian athlete to win gold at the Paralympics after Murlikant Petkar(swimming,972), Devendra Jhajharia (javelin,2004 & 2006), and Mariyappan Thangavelu(high jump,2016).
Lekhara is the third Indian woman to win a medal at the Paralympics after Deepa Malik(shot put) and Bhavinaben Patel(table tennis). She’s also the youngest Indian to win a medal at the Paralympics at the age of 19. Previously, Mariyappan Thangavelu, who won gold at the Rio Paralympics, was the youngest at the age of 21.
In 2012, due to a major accident, she injured her spinal cord becoming dependent on a wheelchair. However, with encouragement from her father, she tried her hands in professional shooting and archery. She also won a silver medal at the 2012 Para Shooting World Cup.
This is India’s first gold and fourth medal at the Paralympic games overall. Besides Lekhara, Devendra Jhajharia won a silver medal while Sundar Singh Gurjar won a bronze medal in the men’s Standing Javelin event. Discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya also bagged a silver medal in the men’s F56 event.
Avani also gathered a lot of praise on Twitter from people, including Virender Sehwag, Akshay Kumar, and Gautam Gambhir.
Here are some of the Twitter reactions:
She has created history.
The first ever woman from India to win a #Paralympics #Gold ??
Wow #AvaniLekhara on the outstanding feat.
Also equals the current WR to win the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 final! ??#Tokyo2020 #ShootingParaSport pic.twitter.com/saehkl2tJt— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 30, 2021
What you have done will be etched in our memory forever! ?? #AvaniLekhara #SuperProud pic.twitter.com/CCfwDpJtpH
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) August 30, 2021
Congratulations #AvaniLekhara for hitting the bullseye ?and creating history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a #Paralympics gold medal ?What a debut! #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/zBzCWGFm7X
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 30, 2021
Congratulations #AvaniLekhara on winning the gold medal ? in women's 10m AR Standing SH1 Final.
An achievement out of sheer perseverance. Inspirational ?#Tokyoparalympics2020 pic.twitter.com/o7xGrP2wYW— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) August 30, 2021
Congratulations Avani for winning ? for India ?? in shooting at the #Paralympics What a way to start a Monday! @ParalympicIndia #AvaniLekhara pic.twitter.com/Cs30f7NstU
— Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (@mirabai_chanu) August 30, 2021