"Wanted To Become Like Him": Abhinav Bindra's Autobiography Inspired Avani Lekhara
Avani Lekhara, who won two medals at the Tokyo Paralympics, said she was inspired after reading Abhinav Bindra's autobiography.
Highlights
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Avani Lekhara won her second medal at Tokyo Paralympics on Friday
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She said that she had been inspired by Abhinav Bindra's autobiography
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She said she read it and thought she wanted to be like him
Avani Lekhara, the 19-year-old who became the first Indian woman to win two medals at the same Paralympic Games on Friday, said that she was inspired by another Indian shooter who made history for India. Lekhara revealed that she had taken inspiration from the autobiography of Abhinav Bindra, India's first individual gold medallist at the Olympics. "I was inspired by Abhinav Bindra's autobiography. He gave his 100 per cent in what he did," Avani Lekhara said during a virtual press conference after winning her second medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.
On Friday, she won bronze in the women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event on Friday at the Tokyo Paralympics, to add to her gold medal in the women's 10m Air Rifle Standing (SH1) event.
Bindra was one of the first to congratulate Avani.
"Avani Lekhara, take a bow young lady! A Bronze in 50m Rifle to add to your historic Gold at the #Tokyo2020 Paralympics. A performance for the ages! Many Congratulations," he tweeted.
.@AvaniLekhara, take a bow young lady! A Bronze in 50m Rifle to add to your historic Gold at the #Tokyo2020 Paralympics. A performance for the ages! Many Congratulations #Praise4Para
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) September 3, 2021
Lekhara has a shot at adding a third medal to her collection from Tokyo.
She will be taking part in the Mixed 50m Rifle Prone SH1 event on Sunday.
Lekhara said she is now focused on Sunday's event and wants to do her best to win another medal.
"I'm very happy that I was able to get another medal for the country. I still can't believe it, but I was hoping for medals for my two events -- the last one and this one -- and I did my best. Now I have one more event, I am focused on that," she said.
Asked if she was satisfied with her bronze medal, she joked that she was unhappy with her performance when she won the gold medal earlier, so she was definitely not content with the bronze.
"I was not satisfied with my Gold medal only. I wanted to do my last shot better. So, this bronze is definitely not satisfying," she said with a grin.