India's Golden Start! Mona Agarwal Wins Gold, Avani Lekhara Takes Silver At Asian Para Games 2026

· Free Press Journal

India opened its medal account at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya with a spectacular performance in para shooting. Mona Agarwal won gold, while Avani Lekhara secured silver in the women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event. The Indian duo delivered an impressive one-two finish to give the country a memorable start to its campaign.

Mona Agarwal Sets New Asian Para Games Record

Mona claimed the gold medal with a score of 250.0 points, setting a new Asian Para Games record in the final. She had earlier topped the qualification round with 629.1 points, establishing a new Asian Para Games qualification record.

Before the Games, Mona had established herself among the leading shooters in the category with a strong international record. Her gold medal added another feather to her cap and strengthened India's presence in para shooting.

Avani Lekhara Adds Another Medal to Her Collection

Avani finished second with 249.6 points, narrowly missing the gold by just 0.4 points. The silver medal further added to her impressive achievements in para shooting and continued her success at major international competitions. Her performance ensured that India secured both the top two positions in the event.

Before the Asian Para Games, Avani had already made history by winning gold in the women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. She also held the world record in qualification with a score of 629.4 points, alongside Slovakia's Veronika Vadovicova. That mark was broken by Mona Agarwal.

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