Mona Agarwal wins gold by 0.4 points as India takes the top two spots

Mona Agarwal won India’s first gold at the 2026 Asian Para Games on October 19, beating teammate Avani Lekhara in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 final in Nagoya. Avani took silver.

Mona finished on 250.0 points, an Asian Para Games record. Avani scored 249.6, leaving just 0.4 points between gold and silver. South Korea’s Yunri Lee completed the podium.

The result followed a comeback. According to PTI’s report, Mona was sixth after the first ten shots, while Avani led the field. Mona worked her way back during the elimination stage and finished with a 10.8 on her last shot; Avani closed with 10.5.

“I kept faith in the process, stayed relaxed and continued to trust myself,” Mona said, according to PTI.

She had already set the pace earlier in the day, leading qualification with 629.1 points. Avani qualified second on 626.4. The final turned that promising start into an Indian one-two.

The three medallists know this podium well. At the Paris Paralympics in August 2024, Avani won this event, Lee took silver and Mona claimed bronze. Avani’s winning score then was 249.7, a Paralympic record. Monday brought the same three shooters together again, with a different order at the top.

Mona’s progress also builds on a breakthrough at the New Delhi World Cup in March 2024. World Shooting Para Sport recorded that as her first international gold, achieved in only her fourth international competition. She finished ahead of China’s Cuiping Zhang and Avani in that final.