Mona Agarwal Smashes World Record to Clinch Second Gold at Asian Para Games 2026
Indian shooter Mona Agarwal clinches her second gold at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a world record in the 50m rifle 3 Positions SH1.
Indian para-shooting star Mona Agarwal has delivered a masterclass in precision at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. In a stunning display of skill, Agarwal secured her second gold medal of the tournament by setting a new world record in the women's 50m rifle 3 Positions SH1 final on Friday.
A Record-Breaking Performance
Mona dominated the final with an extraordinary score of 357.5, a mark that now stands as the world record. Her clinical performance left the competition trailing, as she finished 3.8 points clear of China's Cuiping Zhang, who took home the silver medal.
This victory marks the second time Mona has reached the top of the podium in these Games. On the opening day, she captured gold in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event. In that contest, she scored 250 after the seventh series, not only winning gold but also setting an Asian Para Games record, surpassing the previous mark of 249.6 held by teammate Avani Lekhara from the 2023 Hangzhou edition.
Heartbreak for Avani Lekhara
While Mona celebrated, fellow Indian shooter Avani Lekhara faced a tougher outing in the 50m rifle 3 Positions final. Despite being among the top two competitors after the prone position, Lekhara lost momentum during the standing series, ultimately finishing in fourth place and narrowly missing a podium spot.
India's Golden Run on Day 5
Mona's world-record feat was part of a massive haul for India on Day 5 of the Games, with athletes across various disciplines contributing to the medal tally.
Para Badminton and Archery Success
- Para Badminton: Nitesh Kumar clinched gold in the men's singles SL3 final, while Pramod Bhagat earned a silver. Additionally, Naveen Sivakumar secured gold in the men's singles SL4 event, defeating Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan.
- Para Archery: The duo of Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi struck gold in the men's recurve doubles.
Triumphs in Athletics
The track and field events saw India continue its dominance:
- Sandeep won gold in the men's 400m T64 final, with Ajay Kumar securing a bronze.
- Haney claimed the top spot in the men's javelin throw F37/38 final.
The Medal Tally and the Road Ahead
India also added several silver medals to its collection, courtesy of Thulasimathi Murugesan (women's singles SU5), Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan (women's singles SH6), Pooja Jatyan and Bhawna Choudhary (women's recurve doubles), Parmod Bijarnia (men's 1500m T46), and Nimisha Suresh (women's long jump T47). In para table tennis, Jehan Madan and Shubham Wadhwa secured a bronze in the men's doubles MD4.
Currently, India sits fourth in the overall standings with a total of 103 medals, consisting of 27 gold, 33 silver, and 43 bronze. China continues to lead the table with a massive 354 medals.
With the competition still ongoing in Aichi-Nagoya, the Indian contingent is eyeing a historic milestone: surpassing their previous best performance of 111 medals achieved during the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games.