Avani Lekhara, a shooter from India, made history by becoming the first woman to win a Paralympics gold medal. She shot her way to the top in the R-2 women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 competition.
The 19-year old shooter finished with a world record of 249.6 at Tokyo Paralympics 2020, also a Paralympic record.
After swimmer Murlikant Pekar (1972), Devendra Jhajharia (2004) and 2016, and Thangavelu Maryappan (2016), she’s the fourth Indian Paralympics gold medalist.
Shooters in the SH1 Rifle category can hold a gun with their arms. Athletes with a disability in their legs (e.g. paraplegia or amputations) will have a gun with arms. Some athletes will compete from a seated position, while others will compete from a standing position.
About Shooter Avani Lekhara (Biography)
Avani Lekhara was born on 8th November 2001. She is an Indian Paralympian and a rifle shooter.
Avani Lekhara, a woman shooter who sustained spinal cord injuries after a car accident in 2012, caused her to start shooting after reading Abhinav, an Olympic gold medallist shooter’s autobiography, A shot of history. After being encouraged by her father to pursue the sport, Avani tried other sports such as archery, but Bindra’s book made her feel drawn to shooting.
In 2015, she started shooting at Jagatpura Sports Complex in Jaipur. Two years later, she was able to shoot at the international event. In 2017, she won a silver award at the Para Shooting World Cup Al Ain (UAE).
She won another silver at the Para Shooting World Cup Osijek in Croatia in 2019. Earlier this year, she won gold in the R2 10m air rifle women’s SH1 category at the National Para-shooting Championships.
Avani will participate in three additional events, including the R2 10m women’s air rifle SH1; Women’s R8- 50m rifle 3 Positions SH1; Mixed R3- 10m air rifle prone SH1; and Mixed R6- 50m rifle prone SH1.
Shooter Avani Lekhara loves to shoot, but she also enjoys listening to and watching music, watching movies, cooking, baking, and spending time with her family.
Personal Information:
- Full Name: Avani Lekhara
- Born: 8 Nov 2001, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
- Height: 5 ft 3 in
- Sport: Shooting (India)
- Medal Record: Gold Medal (Tokyo 2020 Paralympics)
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