Shooter Avani Lekhara becomes first Indian woman to win gold at Paralympics
Tokyo(PTI): Shooter Avani Lekhara scripted history on Monday as she became the first Indian woman to win a gold medal at the Paralympics, firing her way to the top of the podium in the R-2 women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event here.
The 19-year-old from Jaipur, who sustained spinal cord injuries in a car accident in 2012, finished with a world record equalling total of 249.6, which is also a new Paralympic record.
She is only the fourth Indian athlete to win a Paralympics gold after swimmer Murlikant Petkar (1972), javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia (2004 and 2016) and high jumper Mariyappan Thangavelu (2016).
"I can't describe this feeling, I'm feeling like I'm on top of the world. It's unexplainable," an elated Lekhara said.
Hers is also the first shooting medal that India has logged in the showpiece.
"I'm so happy I could be the one to contribute it. Hopefully there's a lot of medals more to come," Lekhara said.
In the R-1 men's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event, Mahavir Swaroop Unhalkar missed out on a podium, finishing fourth with a total of 203.9, while his compatriot Deepak was ousted in the qualification round after firing 592.6.
Lekhara edged out 2016 Rio Games gold-medallist Cuiping Zhang of China who clinched the silver medal with a total of 248.9 at the Asaka Shooting Range.
World number one and reigning world campion Iryna Shchetnik of Ukraine took home the bronze with an effort of 227.5.
"I was just saying one thing, that I have to take one shot at a time. There's nothing else matters now, just take one shot at a time and just finish it.
"I just think that I have to follow the process. Beyond that, I try not to think about the score or the medal tally," Lekhara said reflecting on her final.
Lekhara had finished fourth in the last world championship in 2019 but won a silver in the para-shooting World Cup in Al Ain in March.
Appearing in her maiden Paralympics, Lekhara, ranked fifth in the world, consistently shot 10s in both the competition stages. She was set to obliterate the world record but two 9.9s towards the end cost her the mark.
In the qualification round, Lekhara had finished seventh with a total 621.7.
Encouraged by her father to get involved in a sport, Lekhara initially tried both shooting and archery.
She found that she enjoyed shooting more, and was also inspired by 2008 Beijing Olympics gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra after reading his book.
She began shooting in 2015 at Jagatpura Sports Complex in Jaipur.
An Assistant Conservator of Forests in Rajasthan, Lekhara made her debut for India in 2017 World Cup in Al Ain, UAE.
Since 2017, the Indian government has supported Lekhara by including her in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) besides funding her training through the Annual Calendar for Training and Competition (ACTC).
With the help of this support, she has competed in 12 international competitions, attended national coaching camps with sports science support along with sports kit.
She also received financial assistance to install a computerised digital target at home, air rifle, ammunition and accessories.
The teenager's performance was lauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
"Phenomenal performance @AvaniLekhara! Congratulations on winning a hard-earned and well-deserved Gold, made possible due to your industrious nature and passion towards shooting. This is truly a special moment for Indian sports. Best wishes for your future endeavours," Modi tweeted.
The PM also spoke to her over phone to personally congratulate her.
She will also be competing in the mixed 10m Air Rifle Prone SH1, the women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 and the mixed 50m Rifle Prone event.
In the SH1 Rifle category, shooters are able to hold a gun with arms.
The athletes have an impairment in their legs, for example amputations or paraplegia.
Some athletes will compete in a seated position, while others will compete in a standing position.
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Bengal fire: Five more burnt body parts found, death exhibits rise to 21; DNA tests underway
Kolkata (PTI): The police on Thursday recovered five more body parts, including partially burnt and skeletal remains, from the site of a massive fire near Kolkata, taking the total number of body exhibits to 21, a senior officer said.
According to him, out of the 21 body parts, 16 have already been sent for DNA testing.
The police have received missing complaints for 27 people, of whom 21 are from Purba Medinipur district.
"We recovered five body parts from the charred remains of the gutted buildings today. So far, 21 body parts, including partially burnt and skeletal remains, have been recovered from the site. The total number of missing persons reports is 27," Baruipur Police District Superintendent Shubhendra Kumar said when contacted.
Earlier, based on inputs from the local Narendrapur police stations, it was reported that 13 more bodies were found at the site, taking the death toll to 21, while 28 others are missing.
"We cannot say now the exact death toll, as what we have recovered are body parts, which may belong to a single or different individuals. This can be confirmed only after the DNA test reports," a police officer said.
The devastating blaze, which broke out on the night of January 26, reduced two godowns and a momo manufacturing unit at Anandapur in South 24 Parganas district, on the outskirts of Kolkata, to ashes.
Of the remains recovered so far, one was a partially burnt body, while the rest were skeletal remains, making identification through conventional means difficult.
Blood samples of family members were collected at Baruipur Hospital on Wednesday to establish the identities of the deceased, in accordance with standard procedure. DNA profiling of the recovered bodies and body parts will be conducted next, the SP said.
"None of the bodies can be identified individually. We have to rely on DNA analysis. All the recovered parts have been sent for DNA mapping," he added.
According to police sources, eyewitnesses have told investigators that a picnic had been organised at the decorator's godown on the night of January 25, with at least 28 people present.
"After dinner, most of the workers went to sleep," they said, adding that the fire broke out thereafter. "We are examining whether the blaze was triggered by a cigarette or similar combustible material," the SP said.
The blaze reduced the warehouses and the manufacturing unit to rubble, leaving behind charred buildings and the bodies of workers.
Meanwhile, the fire services and forensic department have submitted a preliminary report to the police, stating that the blaze had originated not from the momo manufacturing unit, but from an adjoining godown of a decorator, a senior official said.
The report contradicts claims made earlier by the arrested owner of the decorators’ godown, Gangadhar Das, who had alleged that the fire first broke out in the momo factory.
“Based on the examination conducted so far, the fire originated on the third floor of the decorators’ godown and subsequently spread to other parts of the premises, including the momo manufacturing unit,” a senior police officer said, citing the joint report.
According to officials, forensic teams visited the spot soon after the incident and collected multiple samples to determine the cause and point of origin of the blaze.
“The fire spread rapidly from the decorators’ godown to the momo unit,” an official from the fire services said.
The report further noted that the decorators’ godown and the momo unit together spanned nearly 35,000 square feet, of which the momo factory occupied around 8,000 square feet.
The remaining area was allegedly being used by the decorator, officials said.
Police sources said that further forensic examination may be ordered if required.
