India could not have asked for a better opening to its Asian Para Games campaign. On Monday morning in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Mona Agarwal and Avani Lekhara turned the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 final into an all-India show, finishing one-two to open the country’s medal account with gold and silver. The margin between the two was a razor-thin 0.4 points.
Mona Agarwal was the star of the show. She topped the qualification standings in the morning and carried that form into the final, scoring 250.0 points to take the gold. In doing so she broke the Asian Para Games record of 249.6 points that had been held by her compatriot Avani Lekhara.
Avani, the two-time Paralympic champion, was pushed all the way and eventually settled for silver with 249.6 points. South Korea’s Lee Yunri finished a distant third with 227.9 points to claim the bronze.
How the final unfolded
The women’s 10m air rifle SH1 final is a test of nerve as much as technique. After the initial series of shots, the field is whittled down in elimination rounds, with the lowest scorer dropping out after every two shots. From early on, it was clear this would be a two-woman race.
Mona and Avani traded high scores through the middle of the final, neither willing to give an inch. As the eliminations began, the gap between the two Indians stayed under a point, with Korea’s Lee hanging on to third. In the end, Mona held her nerve on the final shots to close out the gold, finishing 0.4 points ahead of Avani, a margin that in shooting terms is almost nothing.
It was a remarkable turnaround for Mona at the Asian Para Games. She had finished sixth at the previous edition, so stepping up to the top of the podium marked the biggest win of her career. The bronze she won at the Paris 2024 Paralympics had already announced her arrival; this gold confirmed she belongs among the sport’s elite.
A golden day for Indian para shooting
The one-two finish was especially sweet because both medals came from the same event, India’s first medals of the Games. It also underlined the depth of Indian para shooting, where the world-record holder (Avani) and the Games-record holder (Mona) push each other in training and competition.
Avani Lekhara, already a household name after gold medals at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympics, added another major medal to her collection. She had also won gold at the previous Asian Para Games, so this silver was one of the rare occasions she has finished second at a major championship.
The pair’s success set the tone for what could be a historic Games for India. The contingent arrived in Japan aiming to improve on the 111 medals won at Hangzhou 2023, and a double podium on Day 1 was the perfect start.
India’s Day 1 beyond the shooting range
It was not just the shooters making headlines. Para-archery sensation Sheetal Devi equalled the world record in the women’s compound qualification round, shooting 704 out of 720 to also set a new Asian record, bettering the previous Asian mark by six points.
In judo, Kokila guaranteed India at least a silver after stunning reigning world champion Yi Liu of China in the women’s -52kg semifinal. She will fight for gold in the final on Monday.
With more medal events scheduled through the day in para athletics, para swimming and para powerlifting, including Nishad Kumar in the men’s long jump final and Jaspreet Kaur in the women’s 45kg powerlifting final, India was in line for one of its most productive opening days at a major multi-sport event.
Why this gold matters
- Record-breaking: Mona’s 250.0 erased Avani’s Games record of 249.6, showing the event’s standard keeps rising.
- Depth on display: An all-India one-two in an Asian final is rare and speaks to the strength of the country’s para shooting programme.
- Perfect timing: Opening the medal tally with gold and silver lifts the entire contingent for the days ahead.
- Paris to Aichi: Both shooters are Paralympic medallists, and their form here bodes well for the LA 2028 cycle.
FAQs
Who won gold in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 at the Asian Para Games 2026?
Mona Agarwal of India won the gold with a Games-record score of 250.0 points.
What was Avani Lekhara’s score in the final?
Avani scored 249.6 points to take the silver, just 0.4 points behind Mona.
Who won the bronze medal?
South Korea’s Lee Yunri won bronze with 227.9 points.
Where are the Asian Para Games 2026 being held?
The Games are being held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from October 18 to 24, 2026.
How did India perform at the last Asian Para Games?
India won a record 111 medals at Hangzhou 2023, and the team is aiming to better that tally this time.
India’s para athletes are just getting started in Japan. With the shooting team already delivering gold and silver on Day 1, the coming days promise plenty more to cheer for. Keep following Informeia for every medal update from Aichi-Nagoya.
