Manu Bhaker Congratulates Avani Lekhara on Gold Win at Paris Paralympics

Double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker on Friday extended her heartfelt congratulations to Indian para shooter Avani Lekhara for her remarkable gold medal victory at the ongoing Paris Paralympics.

Avani, a reigning Paralympic champion, maintained her incredible streak by securing the top spot in the women’s 10m air rifle final, further cementing her legacy in the sport.

Speaking to reporters at an event in New Delhi, where the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) and ITC Maurya felicitated the Paris Olympics medalists in shooting, Manu Bhaker emphasized the inspiring nature of Avani’s journey.

“Avani’s journey has been very inspiring…and the journey of other Paralympians as well. They have overcome their challenges and won the medal for the country. We all need to learn from this…I feel very proud…Congratulations to Avani,” Manu said.

The event also saw the presence of fellow Olympic medalists Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale, who were recognized for their achievements at the Paris Olympics. Sarabjot, who has his sights set on the upcoming Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, expressed his determination to bring home more medals.

“I feel good after coming here…will change the colour of the medal…there will be back-to-back Asian Games and Commonwealth, that will be our main focus,” Sarabjot stated.

Swapnil Kusale, who secured a bronze medal in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men’s Final at the Paris Olympics, shared his pride in representing India on the world stage.

“I feel good that our country won medals…the government has provided all the necessary facilities for us. My dream is to win the gold medal, but that has not come true yet, so I will work hard and perform better in the next Olympics,” Swapnil said.

Manu Bhaker, who made history at the Paris Olympics by becoming the first Indian to win two medals at the same Olympics, also reflected on her own achievements. Bhaker and her partner Sarabjot Singh secured bronze in the 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team event, defeating South Korea’s Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin 16-10 in the bronze medal play-off match. This victory marked India’s second medal in shooting at the Paris Olympics.

In addition to her team success, Bhaker opened India’s medal tally in the Olympics by securing third place in the women’s individual 10m Air Pistol event, becoming the first-ever Indian woman shooter to win an Olympic medal. Despite narrowly missing out on a historic grand treble in her final event, where she finished fourth in the women’s 25m Pistol Shooting event, Bhaker’s achievements have solidified her place as one of India’s most successful shooters.

Meanwhile, Kusale’s bronze in the 50m Rifle 3 Positions Men’s Final added to India’s overall shooting success at the Paris Olympics, further boosting the nation’s medal tally.