Asian Para Games 2026: Mona Agarwal Shatters World Record For Second Gold In Shooting

Mona Agarwal continued India's golden run at the Asian Para Games 2026, rewriting the world record in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event to secure her second gold medal on Friday.

Competing at the Aichi Prefecture General Shooting Gallery, Agarwal registered a score of 357.5 to surpass the previous world record of 356, set by Sweden's Anna Benson in Novi Sad in July.

The Indian shooter also eclipsed the Asian record of 355.7, established by South Korea's Lee Yunri in Changwon last month.

China's Zhang Cuiping finished second with 353.7, while South Korea's Kim Miyoung took bronze after scoring 344.4. India's Avani Lekhara ended the final in fourth place with 333.2.

The 38-year-old Agarwal built her score across the three shooting positions, beginning with 101.4 in the kneeling series and reaching 203.5 after the prone series. She then moved to 256.5 and 307.3 through the first two standing series.

Agarwal continued to raise the bar in the final stages, progressing through 317.7, 328.0, 338.1 and 347.7 before completing her record-breaking effort at 357.5.

The victory follows her gold-medal performance in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event, where she secured the title with a Games-record score of 250.0. Lekhara finished second in that event with 249.6 points.

The SH1 classification in para-shooting is for athletes with lower-limb or upper-limb impairments who can hold and support the weight of their firearm using their arms without assistance from a gun stand or gallows.

Mona Agarwal's Journey In Para-Shooting

Born in Sikar, Rajasthan, and based in Jaipur, Agarwal contracted polio when she was nine months old, leaving both her lower limbs affected and requiring her to use a wheelchair.

Growing up as the third daughter in her family, she faced social stigma because of her disability but went on to carve out a career in competitive sport.

Before taking up rifle shooting, Agarwal participated in state-level competitions in shot put, discus throw, javelin throw and weightlifting. She began shooting in December 2021 at a local academy in Jaipur while raising her two children.

Her international breakthrough came in 2023, when she won bronze in the mixed team event at the World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, on her international debut.

In 2024, Agarwal claimed gold at the World Cup in New Delhi, setting an Asian record and earning a quota place for India at the Paris Paralympics. She went on to win bronze in the women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, marking a successful debut at the Games.

Earlier this year, Agarwal secured India's first quota place for the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.