[In Pictures] Indian para-shooting contingent leaves for France ahead of Paris 2024 Paralympics
Ahead of the upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympics, the 10-member strong Indian para-shooting contingent departed for the French capital on Saturday, August 24.
In a social media post shared by the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the 10 para-shooters can be seen together at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi, from where they departed for Paris.
The 10 para-shooters who are part of the contingent include Tokyo 2020 Paralympics gold medalists Avani Lekhara and Manish Narwal, as well as newcomers such as Amir Ahmad Bhat, Rudransh Khandelwal, Mona Agarwal, Rubina Francis, Swaroop Mahavir Unhalkar, Sidhartha Babu, Shriharsha Devaraddi, and Nihal Singh.
With the supreme level of talent at the disposal of the team, the para-shooters will look to better their medal haul from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where India brought home five medals, including two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals.
The shooting contingent is a part of the 84-member para-sport contingent that India is sending to Paris 2024, which is the country’s largest Paralympic contingent to date.
The Paris 2024 Paralympics will take place between August 28 and September 8, and the para-shooting events will start from August 30 at the iconic Chateauroux Shooting Centre.
“We are eager to give our best shot” – Tokyo 2020 gold medalist Manish Narwal ahead of Paris 2024 Paralympics
With the Paris 2024 Paralympics starting in a few days, former Paralympic gold medalist and India’s para-shooting stalwart Manish Narwal believes that the team can surpass its previous medal tallies and bring their A-game at Paris.
Speaking to PTI before departing for France, 22-year-old Narwal said:
“Our preparations have been intense, and we are eager to give our best shot in Paris. We aim to surpass our previous performance and bring more medals home.”
While all the members of the Indian para-shooting contingent will look to secure a podium finish, India will look towards Narwal and Avani Lekhara as their best chances of winning gold medals in Paris.
Arjuna Award-winning Narwal is already a bonafide international star in para pistol shooting, also winning a bronze medal in the 2022 Asian Para Games. Meanwhile, Lekhara, 22, is a two-time Paralympic medalist and a gold medalist in the 2022 Asian Para Games, along with winning multiple medals in the WSPS World Cups.