Indian Paralympic Athletes Receive Hero’s Welcome in Delhi After Record-Breaking Paris Games
New Delhi, India – Indian Paralympic athletes were greeted with a grand welcome at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after their impressive performance at the Paris Paralympics. On Saturday morning, half of the Indian contingent returned home, including stars like Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal, Pranav Soorma, Rakesh Kumar, and Manish Narwal.
Fans gathered in large numbers to greet the athletes, showering them with flower petals. The remaining athletes will return after the conclusion of the event.
Avani Lekhara’s Golden Performance
Star Indian parashooter Avani Lekhara described her journey at the Paris Paralympics as great. She won gold in the women’s 10m air rifle final, becoming the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in the Games’ history.
Mona Agarwal’s First Paralympic Experience
Indian para shooter Mona Agarwal expressed her joy, saying, “I am feeling very good as I am receiving so much love…My Paralympic journey was very good, as it was my first Paralympic.” She also won a bronze medal in the same event as Avani.
Rakesh Kumar’s Archery Success
Para-archer Rakesh Kumar credited his coaches for his success. He, along with Sheetal Devi, won a bronze medal in the Mixed Team Compound event, defeating Italy’s Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonnacina with a score of 156-155.
India’s Record Medal Tally
The ongoing Paris Paralympics, which started on August 28 and will conclude on September 8, has seen India achieve a record medal tally of 27, including six golds, nine silvers, and 12 bronzes. This surpasses the previous record of five golds at Tokyo 2020. Indian para-athletes have contributed significantly with three golds, six silvers, and six bronzes, totaling 15 medals.
Doubts Revealed
Paralympic -: The Paralympics are a major international sports event for athletes with disabilities. They happen right after the Olympics and have many of the same sports.
Indira Gandhi International Airport -: This is the main airport in Delhi, named after Indira Gandhi, who was the first and only female Prime Minister of India.
Avani Lekhara -: Avani Lekhara is an Indian Paralympic shooter who has won gold medals in shooting events. She is a role model for many young athletes.
10m air rifle final -: This is a shooting event where athletes aim at a target from a distance of 10 meters using an air rifle. It’s a test of accuracy and concentration.
Mona Agarwal -: Mona Agarwal is another Indian Paralympic shooter who won a bronze medal in the same event as Avani Lekhara.
Rakesh Kumar -: Rakesh Kumar is an Indian Paralympic archer who competes in events where athletes use bows and arrows to hit targets.
Sheetal Devi -: Sheetal Devi is an Indian Paralympic archer who, along with Rakesh Kumar, won a bronze medal in the Mixed Team Compound event.
Mixed Team Compound event -: This is an archery event where a male and a female athlete team up to compete against other teams. They use compound bows, which have pulleys to help shoot arrows more accurately.
Medal tally -: A medal tally is a count of all the medals won by a country in a sports event. It shows how many gold, silver, and bronze medals the country has won.
