2020 Paralympics: Avani Lekhara wins Gold Medal

WHY IN THE NEWS?

On August 30, 2021, Shooter Avani Lekhara has won India’s first gold medal in 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

About:

• Avani Lekhara won medal in women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing (SH1) event
• She is a 19-year-old Lekhara and created a record at Paralympics by equalling the world record of Ukraine’s Iryna Shchetnik.
• Iryna Shchetnik had a record score of 249.6 in 2018.
• Avani became the first Indian woman to win first gold medal at Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
• Cuiping Zhang of China won silver medal with a score of 248.9 while Iryna Shchetnik won the bronze medal with a score of 227.5.
• Avani finished 7th with a score of 621.7 and become the 5th Indian athlete to won a gold medal in the Paralympics Games.
• She is the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold following swimmer Murlikant Petkar in 1972, javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia in 2004 & 2016 and high jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan in 2016.

India’s Medal Tally

India has won 19 medals so far across all 11 editions of Tokyo Paralympics Games since 1960. It comprises of 5 gold, 8 silver, and 6 bronze.

About Avani Lekhara

Avani Lekhara is an Indian Paralympic athlete of the shooting event. She was born on November 8, 2001. She has been currently ranked at World No. 5 in Women’s 10m Air Rifle standing (SH1). She competed in the 2018 Asian Para Games and has been getting support by GoSports Foundation through the Para Champions Programme. Avani sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident in 2012. She started shooting after reading the autobiography of Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra. She tried hand in different sports with her father’s support but ultimately, she got inclined towards shooting