In 2012, Avni Lekha met with a automotive accident and suffered an harm which left her paralyzed. Nine years later, the 19-year-old grew to become the primary Indian girl to win a Paralympic gold medal as she topped the 10m air rifle standings SH1 occasion in Tokyo. Her household says that it was the autobiography of Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra that impressed Avani to excel and excel in capturing.
“My son (Avni’s father) was posted as ADM in Dholpur in 2012. In February 2012, when he was traveling with family from Dholpur to our residence in Jaipur, the car crashed. While everyone suffered injuries, Avni was paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury. She used to feel very disappointed in those days. She was very intelligent and did very well academically. It was at this time that he read Abhinav Bindra’s autobiography as well as other things on shooting and developed an interest in sports,” mentioned grandfather G S Lekhara.
“She has been practising capturing since 2012. We at all times hoped that she would come dwelling after successful a medal. Avni was working very laborious, practising for 7-8 hours day by day at Jagatpura Shooting Range in Jaipur. After successful the gold medal, we didn’t get an opportunity to speak to him as he is able to take part in different occasions.
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‘I used to be certain Jhajharia would deliver again the medal’
Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia’s relations from Churu district of Rajasthan say he was very excited after successful the silver medal in javelin throw on Monday. The 40-year-old Jhajharia had gained two gold medals on the 2004 and 2016 Paralympic Games.
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“When I spoke to him after the win, he was very happy. He was overjoyed that even 17 years after his first gold in 2004, he is still competing and winning medals for India. Even at the age of 40 it is not easy to compete with very young competitors and maintain fitness. This time, he also achieved his personal best with a throw of 64.35m,” mentioned Jhajharia’s youthful brother Arvind. Jhajharia, a father of two kids, misplaced a hand in an accident on the age of eight. His brother mentioned that Jhajharia was certain that he would deliver again a medal and was working laborious for it in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
Jhajharia, who misplaced his left hand after by accident touching an electrical wire whereas climbing a tree on the age of eight, bettered his earlier world document (63.97m). (PCI)
Sunder Singh Gurjar made third place for Rajasthan
Rajasthan’s third medalist is one other javelin thrower, 25-year-old Sundar Singh Gurjar, who gained a bronze medal in the identical occasion. “We are very happy to see him win. He used to practice with his coach Mahavir Saini at SMS Stadium in Jaipur and later trained in Bangalore,” says Hari Om Gurjar, elder brother of Sundar Singh Gurjar of Karauli district of Rajasthan. The brother mentioned that Gurjar was a javelin thrower even earlier than 2015, when a steel sheet fell on a good friend’s home and he misplaced one hand.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot congratulated the three Paralympians and introduced prize cash of Rs 3 crore, Rs 2 crore and Rs 1 crore for Lekhara, Jhajharia and Gurjar respectively. All the three medal winners are presently working as Assistant Conservator of Forests within the Rajasthan Forest Department.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
