CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, August 16
Avani Lekhara is a proud Paralympian. Not because she won two medals in Tokyo - gold in the 10m air rifle standing and bronze in the 50m 3 positions. It is because the shooting sport has given her a tool to represent her community and show others a way out of disability. Avani, who was left paralysed from the waist down after a car crash in 2012, is also proud that she does not need to hide behind her disability.
Only 22 years old, Avani shot off a confident reply when quizzed on how she has changed as a person and as an athlete from the Tokyo Paralympics.
“A lot of people say that I look more confident,” Avani said on the sidelines of a ceremonial send-off for the Paralympics contingent by sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
“People from the press also tell me that I am more articulate that I come across as an extrovert. Shooting has given me a lot and I do not mean fame or money but it has given me a sense of purpose that I can go out and represent a community, represent myself as a person rather than hiding behind my disability. That is something that inspires me further,” added the Jaipur shooter.
“People see that if I can do something why can’t they. Winning medals on a wheelchair, I feel I can do anything now,” she added.
The recognition after her Tokyo heroics means that expectations have risen and so has her work to keep the noise away from her shooting station.
“I will not lie and say that I don’t feel anything. There are a lot of expectations but I try to keep all that behind my lane. I also do a lot of mental training and concentration exercises so that I do not take all that on the field. So whenever I am there (on the lane) I concentrate on my process,” she said.
Avani is keen to go back to the Chateauroux shooting range where she won the quota for the 2024 Games.
“I have matured as a rifle shooter. I am more confident now. I am going back to Paris. I was there two years back and won the quota at the same range so it (venue) will not be very new for me but it will be a new experience for me as this time shooting is at a different venue and I hope I would enjoy it,” she said.
Sumit, Bhagyashree Indian flag-bearers
New Delhi: Tokyo Paralympics gold medal winner Sumit Antil and Asian Para Games silver medalist Bhagyashree Jadhav will be the Indian flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Paris Paralympics. “Sumit and Bhagyashree have been consistent performers over the years,” Paralympic Committee of India chief Devendra Jhajharia said. Haryana’s javelin thrower Sumit won the Tokyo Paralympics gold medal with a world record throw of 68.55 metres in the F64 category. He then went on to win a gold at the World Para Championships last year and shattered his own record at the Asian Para Games with a throw of 73.29m. Shotputter Bhagyashree, who competes in the F34 category, is also a medal winner at the FAZZA World Cup. India had a haul of 19 medals in the Tokyo Games. PTI
