Paris Paralympics 2024: On the third day of the Paris Paralympics 2024, which is August 31st (Saturday), Indian athletes continued to shine. Women’s shooter Rubina Francis secured a bronze medal in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol (SH1) event.
Rubina scored 211.1 points in the final round. With this achievement, India's medal tally at the Paris Paralympics 2024 has reached five, including one gold, one silver, and three bronze medals.
Iran's Javanmardi Sareh won the gold medal, while Turkey's Ozgan Aysel secured the silver in this event. Javanmardi Sareh scored 236.8 points, and Ozgan Aysel accumulated 231.1 points.
Rubina was in second position at one point but eventually slipped behind. The SH1 category in shooting includes athletes whose arm, lower torso, or leg movement is impaired, or who have a disability in their arms or legs.
Rubina Francis, a para pistol shooter from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, won a silver medal in the 10-metre air pistol event at the World Shooting Para Sports World Cup 2023.
In 2017, Rubina set a junior world record by winning a gold medal in the 10-metre air pistol women's team event at the World Shooting Para Sports Championship in Bangkok.
She also secured a bronze medal at the 2019 World Para Championship held in Croatia.
Rubina Francis, 25, has rickets, a condition that affects bone development in children, causing pain and weakening of the bones, which can lead to deformities. She is 40% disabled in her legs due to this condition.
Despite these challenges, Rubina trains in pistol shooting at the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy. Her determination and hard work have led her to achieve remarkable success in para shooting, making her an inspiration for many.
On the second day of the Paralympics, India secured four medals. Manish Narwal won a silver medal in the Men's 10m Air Pistol (SH1) event, while Preeti Pal earned a bronze in the Women's 100m Race (T35).
Additionally, Avani Lekhara claimed gold in the Women's 10m Air Rifle (SH1) shooting event, and Mona Agrawal took home a bronze medal in the same event.