Shooter Avani Lekhara has created sporting history after becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at Tokyo Paralympics.
The 19-year-old won with an impressive score of 149.6 in the final event of women’s 10m air rifle standing at Tokyo on Monday.
With this, Lekhara has set a new Paralympic record and has also equalled the world record.
Many in India have taken to Twitter to praise her historic achievement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her victory a “truly special moment for Indian sports”.
Kathuniya sent the disc to a best distance of 44.38m in his sixth and last attempt to clinch the silver.
Discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya clinched a silver medal in the men’s F56 event in the Tokyo Paralympics here on August 30 as athletics remained India’s happy hunting ground at the Games.
The 24-year-old, a B.Com graduate from New Delhi’s Kirorimal College, sent the disc to a best distance of 44.38m. In his sixth and last attempt to clinch the silver. On August 29, India had picked up a silver (high jump) and a bronze (discus throw), which is on hold due to a protest.
Son of an Army man, Kathuniya suffered a paralytic attack at the age of eight which left him with coordination impairments in his limbs.
Brazil’s defending champion, reigning world champion and world record holder Claudiney Batista dos Santos won the gold. With a best throw of 45.59m while Leonardo Diaz Aldana (43.36m) of Cuba took the bronze. In F56 classification, athletes have full arm and trunk muscle power. Pelvic stability is provided by some to full ability to press the knees together.
He won a bronze medal in the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai with a best throw of 42.51m which also booked him a Tokyo berth.
It was during his time at the KMC that his potential was noticed by several coaches and he soon came under the tutelage of Satyapal Singh at the Jawaharlal Nehuru Stadium.
A few years later, he came under the guidance of coach Naval Singh.
He created a world record in F36 category in his first ever international competition in 2018 at the Para-athletics Grand Prix in Berlin.
India’s Devendra Jhajharia and Sundar Singh Gurjar won silver and bronze in javelin throw F46 event at the Tokyo Paralympics. On Monday. D. Priyantha of Sri Lanka won gold with a world record throw of 67.79.
Jhajharia sealed the podium finish with a new personal best of 64.35m. Two-time reigning world champion Gurjar won bronze with a throw of 64.01m.
Jhajharia became just the second Indian ever to win three medals at the Paralympics after Joginder Singh Bedi.
