Para Asian Games: Mona Agarwal wins gold with Asian record, Avani Lekhara takes silver
Synopsis
Mona Agarwal erased Avani Lekhara's own Asian Para Games record with a score of 250 to claim gold, while Avani took silver — giving India a one-two finish and two Paralympic quota places for Los Angeles 2028. The result cements India's status as the dominant force in para air rifle shooting.
Key Takeaways
Mona Agarwal won gold with an Asian Para Games record of 250 in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event on 19 October .
Avani Lekhara claimed silver with 249.6 , the score she herself had set as the previous Asian Para Games record at Hangzhou.
India opened their Asian Para Games medal tally with a one-two finish; South Korea's Yunri Lee took bronze with 227.9 .
Avani secured her quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games through Monday's result; Mona had already secured India's first quota at the WSPS World Championships in Changwon last month.
In qualification, Mona set another Asian Para Games qualification record with 629.1 points , narrowly missing the world record of 629.4 .
Indian para-shooters Mona Agarwal and Avani Lekhara delivered a stunning one-two finish in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the Asian Para Games on Monday, 19 October, with Mona clinching gold and Avani silver at the Aichi Pref. General Shooting Gallery in Toyota, Japan. Mona's gold-winning score of 250 set a new Asian Para Games record, surpassing Avani's previous mark of 249.6 set at the Hangzhou Games. The result also opened India's medal tally at the ongoing Games.
A Finals Comeback for the Ages
Mona's path to gold was anything but straightforward. She found herself languishing in fifth place midway through the final before staging a remarkable recovery to storm into podium contention and ultimately clinch the top spot. Avani matched her qualifying form with a score of 249.6 in the final, good enough for silver. South Korea's Yunri Lee took the bronze with a score of 227.9, a significant distance behind the two Indians.
Records Tumble in Qualification Too
The Indian dominance began well before the medal round. In qualification, Mona topped the field with 629.1 points after six series, setting a new Asian Para Games qualification record and eclipsing the previous mark held by China's Zhang Cuiping. She came within striking distance of the world record of 629.4, jointly held by Avani and Slovakia's Veronika Vadovicova. Avani qualified second with 626.4 points, sealing an all-Indian top-two heading into the finals.
Paralympic Quota Places Secured
Beyond the medals, Monday's performance carries long-term significance. Avani Lekhara has now secured a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games through her silver-medal finish. Mona Agarwal had already locked in India's first quota for the LA Paralympics last month at the WSPS World Championships in Changwon, where she finished second in the same event with a score of 250. At those World Championships, Avani claimed bronze with 229.4, completing another double-podium finish for India, while Serbia's Kristina Trifunovic won gold with 250.2.
The Record Books and What They Say About These Two Shooters
Mona's Asian Para Games record of 250 falls just short of the world record of 252, held by Slovakia's Iryna Shchetnik. The 2024 Paris Paralympics bronze medallist has now demonstrated she can compete at the very top of the global standings. Avani, meanwhile, is a three-time Paralympic medallist — she won bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 at Tokyo, gold in the 10m air rifle SH1 at Tokyo, and gold again in the 10m air rifle SH1 at Paris in 2024. Their rivalry is fast becoming one of para-sport's most compelling storylines, with India the consistent beneficiary. Both athletes are expected to remain strong medal contenders as preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics gather momentum.
Point of View
And Monday's result underlines just how deep that bench runs. The remarkable aspect is not merely the gold — it is that Mona broke Avani's own record to get it, signalling a genuine rivalry within the same national squad. With both athletes now holding Paralympic quota places for Los Angeles 2028, India's medal expectation in this event is no longer hope; it is structural. The question ahead of LA is whether the coaching and support infrastructure can sustain this trajectory, or whether the record-breaking will remain an individual achievement rather than a system-wide one.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What score did Mona Agarwal shoot to win the Asian Para Games gold?
Mona Agarwal shot a score of 250 to win gold, setting a new Asian Para Games record in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event. The score surpassed the previous Asian Para Games record of 249.6 held by her compatriot Avani Lekhara.
Did Avani Lekhara qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics?
Yes, Avani Lekhara secured a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games through her silver-medal performance at the Asian Para Games. Mona Agarwal had already secured India's first quota for the LA Paralympics at the WSPS World Championships in Changwon last month.
What is Avani Lekhara's Paralympic medal record?
Avani Lekhara is a three-time Paralympic medallist. She won a bronze in the 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 and a gold in the 10m air rifle SH1 at the Tokyo Games, and defended her 10m air rifle SH1 gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
What was Mona Agarwal's comeback story in the final?
Mona Agarwal was placed fifth midway through the final before staging a dramatic recovery to climb to the top of the standings and win gold. Her final score of 250 set a new Asian Para Games record and eclipsed the previous mark that Avani had set in Hangzhou.
What world record did Mona Agarwal fall short of?
Mona Agarwal's gold-winning score of 250 fell two points short of the world record of 252, held by Slovakia's Iryna Shchetnik. In qualification, she also came close to the world qualification record of 629.4, finishing with 629.1 points.
