Mona Agarwal wins second Asian Para Games gold, sets world record in 50m Rifle 3P SH1
Synopsis
Mona Agarwal didn't just win gold in the 50m Rifle 3P SH1 at the Asian Para Games — she rewrote the record books with a 357.5, eclipsing the world mark set just months ago in Novi Sad. Her second gold in two events, both achieved with record scores, makes her arguably the standout performer of these Games — even as teammate Avani Lekhara, who topped qualification, missed the podium.
Key Takeaways
Mona Agarwal won gold in the Women's 50m Rifle 3P SH1 at the Asian Para Games on 23 October in Toyota, Japan .
Her winning score of 357.5 broke the world record of 356 set by Sweden's Anna Benson in July 2026.
This is Mona's second gold at these Games, having also won the 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 with an Asian Para Games record of 250 .
Avani Lekhara topped qualification with a Games record 580-24x but finished fourth in the final with 333.2 .
China's Cuiping Zhang won silver ( 353.7 ) and South Korea's Miyoung Kim took bronze ( 344.4 ).
Indian para-shooter Mona Agarwal delivered a historic performance on Friday, 23 October, clinching gold in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 event at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery in Toyota, Japan — and doing so with a stunning world record score of 357.5. The gold is her second at the ongoing Asian Para Games, cementing her status as one of para-shooting's most dominant athletes right now.
The World Record That Rewrote the Books
Mona's score of 357.5 surpassed the previous world record of 356, held by Swedish shooter Anna Benson, which had been set at the World Cup in Novi Sad in July 2026. The Asian record had also been on notice — South Korea's Lee Yun-ri had held it at 355.7, set just last month. Mona obliterated both marks in a single outing.
In the final, she posted 101.4 in the Kneeling Series 1 and 102.1 in the Prone Series 1. In the Standing Series, she recorded 53, 50.8, 10.4, 10.3, 10.1, 9.6 and 9.8 across seven series — a relentless accumulation of scores that no rival could match. China's Cuiping Zhang took silver with 353.7, while South Korea's Miyoung Kim secured bronze with 344.4.
Avani Lekhara's Near-Miss
India's other star para-shooter, Avani Lekhara, had topped the qualification round with a remarkable 580-24x — itself an Asian Para Games qualification record. However, the final proved elusive for Avani, who finished fourth with a score of 333.2, missing the podium despite her qualification-round dominance. It was a stark reminder that qualification form and final-round execution are separate challenges entirely in the sport.
Mona's First Gold: An Equally Dramatic Story
The 50m gold was not Mona's first act of heroism at these Games. She had earlier won gold in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event with an Asian Para Games record score of 250, with Avani claiming silver at 249.6. That win was itself a comeback story — Mona had been lying fifth in the final before surging through the field to take top honours. South Korea's Yunri Lee had taken bronze in that event with a score of 227.9.
India's Para-Shooting Ascent
Mona's double gold, both accompanied by record-breaking scores, underscores the rapid rise of Indian para-shooting on the global stage. This comes amid a broader surge in India's Paralympic sporting infrastructure, with funding, coaching depth, and competitive exposure all expanding since the Tokyo Paralympics. Notably, Avani Lekhara herself is a former world champion and Paralympic gold medallist, which makes the depth of India's SH1 squad particularly remarkable — two shooters capable of world-record scores competing in the same event is a rare phenomenon in para-sport. The focus now turns to whether India can build on these results heading into the next Paralympic cycle.
Point of View
And Mona Agarwal has done precisely that — without her achievement receiving the mainstream coverage it warrants. The quiet subplot is equally compelling: Avani Lekhara, a Paralympic champion and world-class shooter, topped the qualification round yet finished off the podium, which says as much about the depth of competition as it does about the unpredictability of finals. India's SH1 women's rifle squad is now arguably the deepest in the world, but that depth risks being invisible without sustained media visibility. The next test is whether these records translate into institutional support and public recognition before the Paris Paralympic cycle closes out.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What world record did Mona Agarwal break at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Mona Agarwal broke the world record in the Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 event with a score of 357.5, surpassing Swedish shooter Anna Benson's previous mark of 356 set at the World Cup in Novi Sad in July 2026. She also broke the Asian record of 355.7 held by South Korea's Lee Yun-ri.
How many gold medals has Mona Agarwal won at the 2026 Asian Para Games?
Mona Agarwal has won two gold medals — in the Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 and the Women's 50m Rifle 3P SH1. She set an Asian Para Games record of 250 in the first event and a world record of 357.5 in the second.
Why did Avani Lekhara miss the medal in the 50m Rifle 3P SH1 final?
Avani Lekhara topped the qualification round with an Asian Para Games record of 580-24x but finished fourth in the final with a score of 333.2. The gap between her qualification and final scores reflects the high-pressure nature of para-shooting finals, where standings can shift dramatically.
Who finished second and third in the Women's 50m Rifle 3P SH1 at the Asian Para Games?
China's Cuiping Zhang won the silver medal with a score of 353.7, while South Korea's Miyoung Kim took bronze with 344.4.
Where are the 2026 Asian Para Games shooting events being held?
The shooting events at the Asian Para Games are being held at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery in Toyota, Japan.
