A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Avani Lekhara won the first ever shooting gold for India in women 10m air rifle standing (SH1) event with a score of 249.6. She also created new Paralympic record and equalled World record. Born on 8th November 2001, Avani has been wheelchair-bound after suffering spinal cord injuries in car accident in 2012.

World No 1 in F64 category, javeline thrower Sumit Antil broke the world record thrice with three of his six throws in the final to win the second gold medal of the day for India.

The 23-year-old from Sonepat in Haryana, who lost his left leg below the knee after he was involved in a motorbike accident in 2015, sent the spear to 68.55m in his fifth attempt, which was the best of the day by quite a distance and a new world record.

In fact, he bettered the previous world record of 62.88m, also set by him, five times on the day. His last throw was a foul. His series read 66.95, 68.08, 65.27, 66.71, 68.55 and foul.

Debutant Yogesh Kathuniya was ensuing that India won their third athletics medal of the day on the other side of the stadium. Yogesh secured the silver medal with a season best throw of 44.38m in the mens discus throw F56 category.

Indian legendary javelin thrower Devendera Jhanjharia won his third Paralympic medal in Tokyo, bagging silver medal in the F46 category with a personal best throw of 64.35m. India also secured the bronze medal in the same event, with Sundar Singh Gurjar of Rajasthan throwing his season-best throw of 64.01m to take the 3rd spot.

Yogesh Kathuniya claimed the silver medal with a season best throw of 44.38m in the mens discus throw F56 category. The youngster from Haryana who took up discus throw back in 2017 had won the bronze medal in World Para Athletics Championship 2019 and is the first Indian male to win a Paralympic medal in discus throw since Joginder Singh Bedi won the bronze medal in 1984 Paralympics.

Yogesh Kathuniya is a 24-year-old BCom graduate from Kirorimal College, New Delhi. Son of an Army man, Kathuniya had a paralytic attack at the age of eight, which left him with coordination impairment in his limbs.

NO MEDAL FOR VINOD: Meanwhile, the bronze medal won by Indian discus thrower Vinod Kumar in mens F52 categorry yesterday wold not stand. He has been designated as "Classification not Completed" and results of the competition are void.

Vinod won bronze in F-51/52 discus throw with an Asian record throw of 19.91m. "...the panel was unable to allocate the athlete Vinod Kumar from NPC India with a sport class and the athlete was designated as Classification not Completed (CNC)," the organisers said in a statement.

"The athlete is therefore ineligible for the Mens F52 Discus medal event and his results in that competition are void," it added. The F52 classification is for athletes with impaired muscle power, restricted range of movement, limb deficiency or leg length difference, with athletes competing in seated position. It also applies to cervical cord injury, spinal cord injury, amputation, and functional disorder.
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TOP: Indian woman shooter Avani Lekhara with her Paralympic gold medal in Tokyo on 30 August 2021.
RIGHT: Indian javelin thrower Amit Antil with his gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics on 30 August 2021.