Indian shooting champion Avani Lekhara was welcomed with many garlands and applauded enthusiastically when she returned to her homeland on Saturday, September 7 after her historic performance at the Paris Paralympics. “It has been a good journey and we have won many good medals this time,” Avani told reporters at the airport.
Avani created history at the Paris Paralympics by becoming the first Indian to win gold medals in back-to-back editions of the Paralympic Games. She defended her gold in the women’s 10m standing air rifle SH1 category by breaking the all-time Paralympic record she had single-handedly created at the Tokyo Paralympics.
Avani is only 22 years old and has already achieved numerous records in her long career. She is the most successful Indian Paralympian to have competed at the Paralympic Games.
Avani Lekhara’s achievements at the Paralympic Games
- First Indian to defend gold medal at Paralympic Games
- The Indian with the most medals at the Paralympic Games
- First Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympic Games
- First Indian to win a medal in shooting at the Paralympic Games
- First Indian woman to win multiple medals in a single edition of the Paralympic Games
India salutes its para-athletes
Several other Indian Paralympians also returned home after their success at the Paris Paralympics. They were also welcomed with the same enthusiasm and fervour. Mona Agarwal, who won a bronze medal in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 event along with Avani, was overwhelmed by the reception.
“I feel really good because I’m getting a lot of love… My Paralympic journey was really good because it was my first Paralympic…” she told reporters.
Meanwhile, India is still looking for more medals in Paris. Indian Paralympians have already made the Paris edition India’s best ever at the Paralympic Games with a record 27 medals. India’s previous best result came in Tokyo where Paralympians won 19 medals.
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