India's history-making Paralympians receive grand welcome at Delhi airport
PTC News Desk: Indian Paralympic athletes received a grand welcome at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport as they returned home from Paris, where they put on a record-breaking performance.
On Saturday morning, half of the Indian contingent returned home after competing in the Paris Paralympics.
Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal, Pranav Soorma, Rakesh Kumar, and Manish Narwal are among those who arrived in Delhi. Fans gathered in large numbers outside Delhi to meet the para-athletes, showering them with flower petals.
Other Indian participants will return following the completion of the para multi-sport tournament.
Avani Lekhara, a Star India parashooter, described her experience at the Paris Paralympics as fantastic. "It has been a good journey, and we have won many good medals this time," Avani said.
Avani Lekhara, the reigning Paralympic champion, continued her winning streak and won gold in the women's 10m air rifle final at the Paris Paralympics on Friday. She was also the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in the Games' history.
Mona Agarwal, an Indian para shooter, stated her Paralympic experience was really good.
"I feel really good as I am receiving so much love...My Paralympic experience was really good, given it was my first Paralympic," Mona said. Mona Agarwal won the bronze medal in the same event.
Meanwhile, para-archer Rakesh Kumar awarded his coaches full credit for the victory. "I'm feeling extremely good...My coaches deserve the credit for my victory. We will work hard and perform better in the next Paralympics," Rakesh said.
Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi of India won the bronze medal in the Mixed Team Compound event at the Paris Paralympics, defeating Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonnacina from Italy.
They defeated the Italian pair by 156-155 in the bronze medal match in the ongoing marquee tournament on Monday. With this triumph, they earned a bronze medal for their country.
The ongoing Paris Paralympics began on August 28 and will end on September 8.
India's medal tally in the ongoing Paralympics has risen to 27, with six gold, nine silver, and twelve bronze. This is the most gold India has ever won at a Paralympic Games event, surpassing the previous record of five golds in Tokyo 2020.
Indian para-athletes, in particular, have made their country proud, winning three golds, six silvers, and six bronze medals for a total of 15 medals.
- ANI
