5th Asian Para Games 2026: Mona Agarwal Wins Gold, Avani Lekhara Silver in Women’s 10m Air Rifle SH1

India opened its medal tally at the 5th Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya with a one-two finish in shooting. Mona Agarwal took gold, and Avani Lekhara won silver in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event on Monday.

Mona Agarwal Wins India’s First Gold Medal in the 5th Asian Para Games 2026

Mona Agarwal, a bronze medallist at the 2024 Paris Paralympics, scored 250.0 in the final to claim India’s first gold of these Games. Her score also set a new Asian Para Games record, beating the earlier mark of 249.6 held by Avani Lekhara.

With this win, Mona became only the second Indian woman shooter to win an Asian Para Games gold. She had already secured a quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics through the World Championships.

Avani Lekhara Takes Silver in Women’s 10m Air Rifle Final at Asian Para Games 2026

Avani Lekhara, a two-time Paralympic gold medallist, finished second with 249.6, just 0.4 points behind Mona. She was the first Indian woman shooter to win Asian Para Games gold, which she did in the same event in 2022.

Her silver also earned her a quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympics. Korea’s Yunri Lee won the bronze.

Performance of Mona Agarwal and Avani Lekhara in the 5th Asian Para Games 2026

The final was a close contest. Just before the last shots, Mona led by a single 0.1 point, 239.2 to 239.1. Mona held her nerve to finish ahead, and the two Indians shared the top two spots on the podium.

The event falls under the SH1 category, which is meant for shooters with lower limb impairments who compete in the standing position without needing a support stand for the rifle.