Paris 2024 Paralympic: Indian Women Athletes Grab Medals & Appreciation

By: WE Staff | Saturday, 31 August 2024

On day 2 of the Paris 2024 Paralympics, the Indian women players showcased phenomenal performance at their respective games. So far, women players have secured 3 medals to India's medal tally with 1 Gold and 2 bronze.

Avani Lekhara, the renowned shooter, clinched a Gold medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, adding consecutive gold to her medal tally. She became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals at the Paralympic Games. She defended her title in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 shooting event, breaking a world record score of 249.7, breaking her previous world record set three years ago at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. Avani will compete in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 and mixed 10m air rifle prone SH1 next in the event.

India achieved its first double podium finish in a single event at the Paralympic Games, with Mona Agarwal winning a bronze medal in the 10m Air Rifle SH1 final achieving a score of 228.7. Despite facing challenges and lacking international exposure, she showcased perseverance and resilience while competing at the mega event.

Another athlete, Preethi Pal won the first Indian Paralympic medal in track events, securing a bronze medal in the women's 100m T35 class at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, despite having coordination impairments. She made a personal best record of 14.21 seconds. Preethi is set to compete in the women's 200m T35 class on Sunday.

The Paris 2024 Paralympics, a landmark event has been hosted first time in France. It kickstarted on 28 August and see its final games on 8 September 2024. The Summer Paralympic Games drive over 4,400 athletes from around the world, competing in 22 sports and 23 disciplines, with state-of-the-art facilities and support for athletes with disabilities. The Indian contingent at the Paris 2024 Paralympics is the largest ever, featuring 84 athletes across 12 sports, including Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist Javelin thrower Sumit Antil and gold medalist shooter Avani Lekhara headlining the contingent.