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The 19-year-old athlete enters the history books after becoming the first woman from India to win a gold medal in shooting at an Olympic and Paralympic Games

Avani Lekhara made history by becoming the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in shooting at an Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Lekhara took gold after scoring 249.6 in women's 10m air rifle standing (SH1), whilst also equalling the world record (EWR) and breaking the Paralympic record.
China's Cuiping Zhang won silver with 248.9 and Ukraine's Iryna Shchetnik took bronze with a total of 227.5. Lekhara's was India's first para gold in shooting at the Paralympics and she equalled Iryna Shchetnik's world record that was set in 2018. She also became the first Indian woman to win a gold at the Paralympics.

Lekhara became the fourth Indian athlete to win a gold medal at the Paralympics after swimmer Murlikant Petkar in 1972, javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia in 2004 and 2016 and high jumper Thangavelu Mariyappan in 2016.

Shooters are able to hold a gun with arms in the SH1 Rifle category. Athletes have an impairment in their legs as some athletes compete in a seated position while others compete in a standing position.

"I can't describe this feeling, I'm feeling like I'm on top of the world. It's unexplainable," Lekhara said.

"I'm so happy I could be the one to contribute it. Hopefully there's a lot of medals more to come," the 19-year-old said about winning India's first Paralympic shooting medal ever.

Avani Lekhara wins historic shooting gold for India Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

Throughout the finals, the Para shooter showed nerves of steel whilst targeting only one thing: to get the job done. Youth overpowered experience when she defeated reigning Paralympic champion ZHANG Cuiping of People's Republic of China, who scored 248.9 to take silver.

"I was just saying one thing, that I have to take one shot at a time. There's nothing else matters now, just take one shot at a time and just finish it," Leksha said

"I just think that I have to follow the process. Beyond that, I try not to think about the score or the medal tally."

Making her Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020, Leksha's gold medal - the country's first gold medal at Tokyo 2020 - now brings India's medal tally to five.

Leksha, who suffered a life-changing car accident when she was 11, started shooting six years ago after her father brought her to a shooting range.

"Summer vacations 2015, my father took me to the shooting range. I shot some shots and they were pretty OK. So I just started as a hobby, and here I am," Leksha said.

She was inspired to take the sport seriously after reading a book by Indian Olympic shooting champion Abinav Bindra, setting her mind to equal Bindra's achievements.

And the Olympic shooting legend congratulated Leksha after her historic victory:

Avani Lekhara wins historic shooting gold for India Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games

"Gold it is! Brilliant display by @AvaniLekhara to win India its first Paralympic gold medal in shooting. Immensely proud! Many congratulations on your shot at history," Brinda posted on his Twitter account.

Avani Lekhara wins historic shooting gold for India

With this victory, Lekhara will serve as a great role model for everyone who is thinking of taking up a sport or a para sport:

"When you are a para-athlete, people start judging you. To live with a disability is a victory in itself," she told the Bridge in early August ahead of the Paralympic Games.

Avani Lekhara wins historic shooting gold for India

Lekhara still has two more opportunities to add more gold medals to her trophy cabinet. She will compete two qualification rounds in the mixed 10m air rifle qualification, women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 and mixed 50m rifle prone SH1 in the next few days.

Another daughter of India makes us proud!
Congratulations to Avani Lekhara for creating history and becoming the first Indian woman to win a Gold at #Paralympics. India is elated by your stellar performance! Our tricolour flies high at the podium due to your phenomenal feat.

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 30, 2021

Phenomenal performance @AvaniLekhara! Congratulations on winning a hard-earned and well-deserved Gold, made possible due to your industrious nature and passion towards shooting. This is truly a special moment for Indian sports. Best wishes for your future endeavours.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 30, 2021

@AvaniLekhara is only 19 years old and this is her first #Paralympics! What a debut! Making history for #IND with a #gold and equaling the WR!

"Life consists not in holding good cards, but in playing those cards you hold well." And you did played well today, Avani! pic.twitter.com/KrmViAQmaV

— #ShootingParaSport #Tokyo2020 (@ShootingPara) August 30, 2021

@AvaniLekhara pic.twitter.com/tTSv83mIek

— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 30, 2021