Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal Shine in Women's 10m Air Rifle Event at Paralympics

Reigning Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara and shooter Mona Agarwal qualified for the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event final. Ukraine's Iryna Shchetnik broke the Paralympic qualification record. Avani finished second, while Mona took fifth place in the qualification round, showcasing remarkable performances.

Reigning Paralympic champion Avani Lekhara and shooter Mona Agarwal have successfully qualified for the final of the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the ongoing Paralympics. Mona finished the qualification round with a score of 623.1, securing the fifth position, while Avani clinched the second spot with 625.8 points.

Ukraine's Iryna Shchetnik, who holds the qualification world record, set a new Paralympic qualification record with a score of 627.5, surpassing China's Zhang Cuiping's previous mark of 626.0 set in Tokyo. Avani started her campaign with a strong 10.6 shot, while Mona opened with a 10.3. Despite a minor setback in the first series, Avani recovered from the 10th position to finish with 102.9 points, while Mona consistently shot 103.9 points to stay in fifth place.

Avani continued to improve, scoring 105.5 points in the second series to leap to the third spot. Mona slipped to sixth despite scoring 103.4 points. In the third series, Avani's performance wavered slightly with shots of 9.7 and 9.9, but she maintained her third place with 103.4 points as Mona scored 103.8 to move to fourth. Avani excelled in the fourth and fifth series with scores of 105.3 and 105.6 respectively, keeping her at the top. Mona's missed 10-point mark shots relegated her slightly to the sixth position by the end of the fifth series.

In the final series, Avani secured 103.1 points amidst a few misplaced shots, while Mona excelled under pressure, scoring 105.5 points to finish strongly. Both athletes displayed exceptional skill and resilience, marking another remarkable chapter in their Paralympic journeys.

(With inputs from agencies.)