Asian Para Games: Mona, Avani dominate 10m air rifle as India bring home first gold medal

India opened their medal account at the 2026 Asian Para Games with a commanding one-two finish in the women’s air rifle SH1 at 10m on Monday, October 19. Mona Agarwal won gold with an Asian Para Games record 250 points, edging out defending champion Avani Lekhar who settled for silver with 249.6 points.

The battle between the two Indian shooters went down to best terms as Mona finished just 0.4 points ahead of Avani. The result also gave India its first gold medal of the campaign, with both shooters reaching the podium on Day 1 of the competition.

Asian Para Games, October 19: Live Updates

Courtesy: Asian Para Games

Avani, the reigning Paralympic and Asian Games champion, was leading the standings until halfway through the finals. However, a 9.7 in the fourth heat of the second stage allowed Mon to take advantage.

Avani responded strongly under pressure, holding off challenges from South Korea’s Yunri Lee and Kazakhstan’s Aigerim Tulegen, who were shortly in front of her. The Indian shooter recovered to secure the silver, giving the Indian contingent a memorable start.

For Mona, the gold medal marked another major achievement in a sporting career that has risen rapidly since she began shooting competitively in December 2021.

WHO IS MONA AGARWAL?

Born on November 8, 1987 in Sikar, Rajasthan, Mona contracted polio at the age of nine months, affecting both lower limbs. Before finding success in para-shooting, she explored several sports, including para-athletics and para-powerlifting, and played an important role in women’s sitting volleyball.

In 2019, Mona led the Rajasthan women’s team to gold in the inaugural National Sitting Volleyball Championship. She started competitive shooting in December 2021 and quickly established herself as a contender on the national and international stage.

After winning the national silver medal in 2022, she won bronze in the mixed team event at the 2023 Para Sport Shooting World Cup in Osijek, Croatia. Later that year, she won gold in the SH1 women’s 10m air rifle event at the World Cup in Changwon, South Korea.

Mona’s breakthrough came in March 2024 at the Para Sport Shooting World Cup in New Delhi. She won gold in the SH1 women’s 10m air rifle with a score of 250.7, setting an Asian record and securing a place in the Paralympic quota for India.

She carried that form into the Paris 2024 Paralympics, winning bronze in the SH1 women’s 10m air rifle event. She also secured a mixed team silver in the 10m air rifle at the 2024 World Cup in New Delhi.

Her performances won her the Arjuna Award in 2024. Mother of two Mona has balanced family responsibilities with the demands of elite sports and built a career that has taken her from multiple sports disciplines to the top of the para-shooting podium.

Her gold medal in Nagoya adds another milestone on the journey, while India’s runner-up finish alongside Avani provides an early boost to the country’s campaign at the Asian Para Games.

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