New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu on Monday extended her wishes to shooters Mona Agarwal and Avani Lekhara for winning gold and silver medals, respectively, at the ongoing Asian Para Games 2026.
President Murmu congratulated Mona for winning the gold medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event with an Asian Para Games record of 250. “I extend my heartiest congratulations to Mona Agarwal on winning the Gold Medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the Asian Para Games 2026. By setting a new Asian Para Games record, you have made this victory even more special.
“Your achievement will inspire many to dream big and believe that with determination and hard work, even the most ambitious dreams can be realised,” the President of India posted on X.
She further congratulated Avani for winning back-to-back medals at the continental showpiece. Having won the gold in the Hangzhou Asian Para Games 2023, the Paris and Tokyo Paralympics gold medallist Avani won a silver for successive medals at the Asiad.
“My warmest congratulations to Avani Lekhara on winning the Silver Medal in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event at the Asian Para Games 2026. May your sporting journey continue to bring you new opportunities to excel and fulfil your aspirations. I wish you the very best for the future,” the President wrote in another post.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also congratulated both the shooters through a social media post.
Mona and Avani were placed closely in the final. Mona shot an Asian Para Games record score of 250 to bag the gold, while Avani shot 249.6 to win the silver in what were India’s first medals at the ongoing Games.
Mona, a Paris Paralympics bronze winner, made a brilliant comeback in the final after she was reeling in fifth place to storm into the podium positions before fending off the challenge from others to win the coveted gold. Behind Mona and Avani, South Korea’s Yunri Lee won the bronze with a score of 227.9.
Mona broke her compatriot Avani’s Asiad Para Games record of 249.6 that the shooter had set while winning the gold in the previous Games in Hangzhou. However, she missed out on the world record of 252 held by Slovakia’s Iryna Shchetnik.
With this performance, Avani has also secured a quota place for the 2028 Paralympic Games. Mona had secured her spot last month during the World Championships.
–IANS
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