Mona Agarwal Breaks Asian Para Games Record, Avani Lekhara Completes Indian One-Two

India’s Mona Agarwal and Avani Lekhara dominated the women’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 qualification at the 2026 Asian Para Games on Monday, finishing first and second respectively to put the country in a strong position ahead of the final.

Agarwal topped the qualification standings with 629.1 points after six series, setting a new Asian Para Games record and surpassing the previous mark held by China’s Zhang Cuiping. She narrowly missed the world record of 629.4 points, jointly held by Lekhara and Slovakia’s Veronika Vadovicova.

Lekhara secured second place with 626.4 points, ensuring that both Indian shooters will enter the medal-deciding round among the leading contenders. Their performances have raised hopes of a double podium finish for India in the event.

Both shooters are established names in international para-shooting. Lekhara won gold in the women’s 10m air rifle at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, while Agarwal claimed bronze in the same event.

India also secured two places in the final of the men’s 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1 event. Rakesh Nidagundi finished seventh with 619.3 points, while Swaroop Unhalkar qualified eighth with 617.4 points. Anandha Krishnan missed the cut after finishing 13th with 605.2 points.

India’s strong showing in shooting was complemented by a record-equalling performance in para-archery. Sheetal Devi scored 704 out of a possible 720 points in the women’s compound qualification round, matching the world record and setting a new Asian record.

The 19-year-old’s score bettered the previous continental mark of 698 by six points, underlining her credentials as one of the leading contenders in the event. The reigning world champion and Paris 2024 Paralympics bronze medallist will now look to maintain her momentum in the elimination rounds.

Fellow Indian archer Payal Nag also delivered an impressive performance, scoring 675 points to finish joint fifth in the women’s compound qualification standings.

The record-setting performances by Agarwal and Sheetal, along with strong showings from Lekhara and Nag, have given India an encouraging start to Monday’s competitions at the Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya. The focus will now shift to the finals and elimination rounds, where the athletes will seek to turn their qualification success into medals.

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