Mona Agarwal blasted 629.1 in the 10m air rifle qualifying, breaking the Asian Para Games record and narrowly missing the world mark of 629.4.
Her sixth series of 104.3—just shy of the perfect 105—was the turning point that sealed the record and put her beyond any doubt. The score rattled the previous benchmark set by China’s Zhang Cuiping and gave India an instant advantage.
Avani Lekhara, the reigning world champion, followed up with 626.4, completing a one‑two finish for the nation. The gap, though small, was enough to keep India firmly in the lead as the qualification rounds wrapped.
Beyond the two stars, Rakesh Nidagundi and Swaroop Unhalkar secured seventh and eighth slots with 619.3 and 617.4 respectively, while Anandha Krishnan missed the final by a narrow margin. The strong start, however, means India’s shooters will head into the elimination rounds with momentum and high confidence.
With the record set and a clean sweep of the top two slots, the next challenge is the final showdown where the gold and silver will be decided. India’s shooters are primed to translate the qualification dominance into podium finishes.