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

Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, October 2026 : Indian para shooters Mona Agarwal and Avani Lekhara delivered a remarkable performance at the 2026 Asian Para Games on Monday, securing gold and silver medals respectively in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event. Their one-two finish gave India its first medals of the continental competition.

Agarwal claimed the gold medal with a score of 250 after the seventh series, setting a new Asian Para Games record. She surpassed the previous record of 249.6, established by Lekhara at the 2023 Hangzhou Games.

Lekhara secured the silver medal with 249.6 points, adding another major achievement to her impressive international career. The Indian duo dominated the event, ensuring that both top positions on the podium went to the country.

The result capped an outstanding day for Agarwal, who had earlier topped the qualification round with a record-breaking performance. She scored 629.1 after six series, setting a new Asian Para Games qualification record and surpassing the previous mark held by China’s Zhang Cuiping.

Agarwal narrowly missed the world record of 629.4, jointly held by India’s Lekhara and Slovakia’s Veronika Vadovicova. Lekhara also produced a strong qualification performance, finishing second with 626.4 points to secure her place in the final and set up the Indian one-two finish.

While the women’s event brought India its first gold and silver medals of the Games, the men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 final ended without a podium finish for the country.

Mahavir Swaroop Unhalkar finished fourth with 205.9 points, exiting the final after the fifth series. Indian debutant Rakesh Nidagundi secured seventh place with 141.5 points.

Both Indian men had qualified for the final after finishing seventh and eighth in the qualification round. Nidagundi recorded 619.3 points, while Unhalkar scored 617.4 after six series. However, Anandha Krishnan missed the final, finishing 13th with 605.2 points.

The strong qualification showing had raised hopes of another medal for India in the men’s event, but the shooters were unable to convert their performances into a podium finish.

Agarwal’s record-breaking gold and Lekhara’s silver underline India’s strength in para shooting and provide an encouraging start to the country’s campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Their performances also highlight the depth of India’s talent in the women’s rifle discipline, with both athletes demonstrating consistency under pressure.

With the competition continuing across multiple sports, India will look to build on the momentum generated by the two shooters as more athletes take part in their respective events. For Agarwal, the Asian Para Games record adds another milestone to her career, while Lekhara’s silver further strengthens her standing among India’s leading para shooters.