Avani Lekhara became the first and only Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. She was not yet 20 years old.
It was during the 10m air rifle shooting event standing SH1. With a total of 249.6 points, she took the opportunity to break the Paralympic record in the discipline, and equal the world record. Three days later, still in Tokyo, she also won bronze in the 50m air rifle shooting 3 positions SH1. She thus became the first Indian female athlete to win multiple medals in a single edition of the Paralympic Games.
Paraplegic after an accident
Avani was born on November 8, 2001, in Jaipur, Rajasthan. In 2012, at the age of 11, she was involved in a car accident that left her paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair for life.
It was her father who convinced her that sports could help her give meaning to her life. It was archery at first, then she quickly switched to rifle shooting. Shooting quickly became a passion. It must be said that the kid was gifted… extremely gifted, even!
