Mona Agarwal doubled her gold tally with a world record at the Asian Para Games

Mona Agarwal struck gold for the second time at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Friday, setting a world record in the SH1 women’s 50m 3-position final with a score of 357.5.

The Indian para shooter broke the previous world record of 356 held by Sweden’s Anna Benson, who set the mark in Novi Sad on July 26, 2026.

China’s Cuiping Zhang finished second with 353.7, while South Korea’s Myoung Kim took bronze with 344.4. India’s Avani Lekhara finished fourth with 333.2.

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For Mona, the latest gold represents another milestone on a sporting journey that has taken several twists and turns. The 38-year-old from Sikar, Rajasthan won bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Now he’s back on top in Nagoya, with a second gold and a world record.

A DIFFERENT SPORTS WAY

At the age of nine months, Mona fell ill with polio, which affected both lower limbs. However, sport became a constant in her life. Before picking up a rifle, she competed in para athletics and para powerlifting and played a key role in women’s sitting volleyball.

In 2019, she led the Rajasthan women’s team to gold in the inaugural National Sitting Volleyball Championship. Two years later, in December 2021, she began competitive rifle shooting. Success came quickly.

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

PARIS SETS THE STAGE

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

She carried that form to Paris, where she won bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 at the 2024 Paralympics. She also won silver in the mixed team 10 m air rifle at the World Cup in New Delhi that year, along with gold at the World Cup in Changwon.

She received the Arjuna Award in 2024 for her achievements.

GOLD AND WORLD RECORD

Away from the shooting range, Mona is a mother of two. Balancing family responsibilities with top sport was part of her journey, which began in disciplines far removed from rifle shooting.

Now he has another title to add to his collection. Her second world record gold in Nagoya shows how far she has come since taking up competitive shooting less than five years ago.

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