The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics Champion, Avani Lekhara, made a stunning return to the international arena by clinching the Women's SH1 10m Air Rifle gold with a world record score at the ongoing Chateauroux Para Shooting World Cup in France.
The 20-year-old shot a total of 250.6 in the final to break her own World Record. Lekhara never looked in any sort of trouble in the final as she almost cruised to the top spot on the podium, with the silver medallist from Poland Emilia Babska coming up with a total of 247.6. The bronze medal went to Anna Normann of Sweden with a total of 225.6. The Indian broke the world record with her 24th and final shot.
Leading Babska by 2.2 points already, Lekhara maintained her calm to shoot a near-perfect 10.8 with her final shot to shatter the world record and take home the gold. Avani had previously equalled the World Cup in the 2020 Toyko Paralympics, when she shot a total of 249.6 in the final to become the first Indian woman to win a Paralympics gold. With this record breaking effort in Chateauroux, the Padma Shri awardee has also booked herself a berth to the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. Earlier in the week, Lekhara was on the verge of missing out on this World Cup after the visas of her escort and coach were not cleared.
