Double Olympic medalist Manu Bhaker on Friday congratulated Indian para shooter Avani Lekhara for winning the gold medal at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) along with ITC Maurya felicitated the Paris Olympics medalists in shooting, Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale were present at the event in New Delhi.
Reigning Paralympic champion, Avani Lekhara maintained her streak and struck gold in the women's 10m air rifle final at the Paris Paralympics on Friday.
Speaking to the reporters, Manu said that Avani's journey has been very inspiring. She added all need to learn from the para-athletes who have won medals on Friday.
"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.
Earlier in the day, Shooter Mona Agarwal bagged the bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle final at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. While Manish Narwal won silver in the men's 10m air pistol SH1 pistol final event. On the other hand, Preeti Pal clinched the bronze medal in the 100m T35 event.
Paris Olympics medalist Sarabjot Singh said that his focus will be now to win medals at the upcoming Asian Games and Common Wealth Games.
"I feel good after coming here...will change the colour of the medal...there will be back-to-back Asian Games and Common Wealth, that will be our main focus," Sarabjot said.
"Government has provided all the necessary facilities for us" - Swapnil Kusale
Olympic medalist Swapnil Kusale said he feels proud to win bronze for the country. He added his dream is to win gold at the next Olympics.
"I feel good that our country won medals...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.
At the Paris Olympics, Manu Bhaker scripted history when she became the first Indian to win two medals at the same Olympics. Bhaker and her partner Sarabjot Singh secured bronze in the 10 M Air Pistol Mixed team event.
The duo of Manu and Sarabjot defeated South Korea's Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin 16-10 in the bronze medal play-off match. Both Manu and Sarabjot shot consistently with regular 10s in the series against the South Koreans to claim India's second medal.
Bhaker opened India's medal tally in the Olympics after she secured third place in the women's individual 10m Air pistol event, becoming the first-ever woman shooter to win an Olympic medal for India. Following that, Sarabjot Singh and Bhaker won the bronze medal in the 10m air pistol (mixed team) event, which was India's first-ever shooting team medal.
