Avani Lekhara: Winning Medals for the Nation Feels Wonderful

New Delhi, October 25: Medal winner Avani Lekhara has said it feels wonderful to win medals for India again, as the country's contingent returned from the Asian Para Games 2026 in Japan. The athletes were honored with a grand reception at New Delhi Airport.

The Games were held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, and the Indian team marked a historic outing. Across the fifth edition of the event, the country collected 114 medals, including 30 gold, 35 silver, and 49 bronze, finishing fourth on the medal table.

Lekhara said that all athletes had performed very well this time around. She expressed gratitude to the nation, the federation, SAI, and everyone who had shown love and support to the team.

Shooting coach Pavittar highlighted the effort required from young athletes. He said the children delivered outstanding performances and went beyond winning medals by creating a medal record for the team.

Another shooting coach, Rakesh Singh, noted that para coaching is more demanding than working with able-bodied athletes, as trainers must understand each athlete's disability and address the specific challenges they face.

Srishti Arora and Manish Narwal also shared their feelings. Arora said the medals were a moment of pride for her family, federation, and country, while Narwal credited his family, coaches, and the entire nation for helping him reach this milestone.