Avani Lekhara opens up on how she developed her interest in shooting

Avani Lekhara would have never taken up shooting if her parents had not coaxed her after two years of a disastrous car accident that left her paralysed waist down and restricted her to a wheelchair at the just of just 11 yearsAvani Lekhara one of the most wellknown faces in the Indian parasports will look forward to clinching more medals for the country ahead of the Paris Paralympics 2024 The shooter also thanked her family for giving meaning to her life during the time when she was trying to overcome the traumaJust six years after trying her hand at archery and then shooting at the Kendriya Vidyalaya No3 in Jaipur during the summer vacations in 2015 Avani became the toast of the nation by winning Indias first medals in shooting at the Tokyo Paralympics in SH1 category 10m air rifle gold and 50m rifle 3positions bronzeBefore the accident I was not into any sport and after that too I was not at all thinking about joining any sport But my parents always thought that I need to do something other than studies I went back to school two years after the accident I went to KV No 3 JaipurThey have these regional games national games so my parents also thought of enrolling me in some sport and then I went there during my summer vacations in 2015 and I tried archery I tried shootingI liked shooting more because it was an indoor game I thought ok lets start Then I started competing started liking it morethats how it went after that Avani Lekhara a former world No1 in 10m air rifle SH1 who is also an assistant conservator of forest with the Rajasthan government told PTIAlso ReadI like simplicity of his technique Kumar Sangakkara on BrookFor Avani the Tokyo success brought with it lots of expectations but the vivacious shooter who has a new set of rifles and feels more mature in her technique going into the Paris Games said it only motivates her to do betterI think we have been in a very positive environment throughout We are just focussing on the process rather than the outcome There obviously will be expectations but those expectations only motivate me and inspire me more to give my best Im also more mature in my techniqueAnd whatever it is even if it a negative or a positive motivation I try to keep it outside the firing lane When I go to the lane I am only focusing and concentrating on my process rather than thinking about other thingsFor her a competition be it the World Cup or the Paralympic Games is just an extension of her training regimen which has to be followed to the teeI like to keep it competitions as similar to training as possible If there is something which will happen in a match I try it during training so that when I go into a competition I dont feel any uncertainty I just try to control the controllableI try to keep my focus my concentration all the regimen that I follow be it physical or mental training all of it I try to keep it as similar as possible said AvaniHer preparations have been helped by a quick recovery from a gallbladder surgery she underwent in March this year after the Para Shooting World Cup in DelhiYes I was not well I had a surgery in March and after that I was on a recovery break for one and half months At that time I was not shooting but then after that I came back gave my selection trials and since then Ive been in training she addedAvanis budding rivalry with upcoming 10m air rifle shooter Mona Agarwal saw the latter clinch gold at the World Cup in Delhi and the ace shooter says its a healthy competition Theyll both be gunning for gold in Paris as wellIt feels nice that we now have more representation in my events from India It feels nice to have someone there from India competing alongside me she saidAvani Lekhara laughed at all the concerns about the warm weather in Paris She said that someone who has trained in Rajasthans heat its hardly a concernThe Indian government has installed several air conditioners for its athletes earlier during the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024Giving credit to personal coach Chandra Shekhar for her success Avani says hes been a major part of her successful journeyHe has been really a major part of my journey especially during COVID days he used to come and train me He helps me in focusing on my basics whenever I forget themIts not like I do it purposely but sometimes you are too much into shooting that you forget some thingsWith PTI Inputs