Mona Agarwal wins gold, Avani Lekhara takes silver as India opens Asian Para Games medal account in women's 10m air rifle

Mona Agarwal sets Games record to take gold

Indian para shooter Mona Agarwal claimed the gold medal in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 final at the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday, posting a new Asian Para Games record of 250.0 points after the seventh series. The score bettered the previous mark of 249.6 set by compatriot Avani Lekhara at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games. South Korea's Lee Yunri finished with bronze on 227.9 points, completing a podium led from start to finish by Agarwal and Lekhara.

Lekhara secures silver and a 2028 Paralympics quota

Lekhara, the defending Paralympic champion in the event, matched her own previous Games record with 249.6 points to finish 0.4 behind Agarwal and take silver. The result also gave Lekhara a quota place for India at the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympics, according to Outlook India. The two Indian shooters traded the lead through the 24-shot final, with Agarwal holding a narrow 239.2 to 239.1 advantage entering the decisive shot before sealing the win. Lekhara had taken gold in this event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Para Games.

Qualification round record and men's 10m air rifle result

Earlier in the day, Agarwal had topped the women's 10m air rifle qualifications with 629.1 points after six series, setting a new Asian Para Games qualification record and surpassing the previous mark held by China's Zhang Cuiping. She narrowly missed the world record of 629.4, jointly held by Lekhara and Slovakia's Veronika Vadovicova. Lekhara qualified second on 626.4. In the men's 10m air rifle standing SH1 final, India's Mahavir Swaroop Unhalkar finished fourth with 205.9 points, while debutant Rakesh Nidagundi was seventh with 141.5; Anandha Krishnan finished 13th in qualifications with 605.2 and did not advance.

What comes next for India's shooting team

India's opening medals were followed later on Day 3 by a bronze from Kapil Parmar in judo, lifting India's Day 3 tally to one gold, one silver and one bronze, according to Sportstar. Agarwal is set to next compete in the 50m rifle 3 positions event in Nagoya as she aims for a double at the 2026 Games.