Mona Agarwal Sets World Record at Asian Para Games 2026

Indian para-shooter Mona Agarwal added another remarkable achievement to her sporting career on Friday, winning her second gold medal at the Asian Para Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The 38-year-old set a world record in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final with a score of 357.5, surpassing the previous record of 356.

Mona’s performance secured another gold medal for India and marked a significant milestone in her journey from para-athletics and para-powerlifting to international shooting success. Sweden’s Anna Benson previously held the world record of 356, set in Novi Sad on July 26, 2026. Mona’s new score moved the benchmark higher in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event.

China’s Cuiping Zhang finished second with a score of 353.7, while South Korea’s Myoung Kim secured the bronze medal with 344.4. India’s Avani Lekhara finished fourth with a score of 333.2, narrowly missing out on a place on the podium.

The victory adds to Mona’s growing list of international achievements following her bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Her latest performance in Nagoya demonstrates how quickly she has progressed since beginning competitive rifle shooting in December 2021.

Mona Agarwal Wins Second Gold at Asian Para Games 2026

Mona Agarwal’s second gold medal at the Asian Para Games 2026 came through an outstanding performance in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final. Her score of 357.5 established a new world record, improving on the previous mark by 1.5 points.

The Indian shooter entered the event with a strong record in international para-shooting, having already established herself as one of India’s prominent competitors in the sport. Her latest victory in Aichi-Nagoya further strengthens her position among the leading athletes in her category.

The women’s 50m rifle 3 positions event requires competitors to shoot from three positions: kneeling, prone and standing. Athletes must demonstrate consistency, control and precision across the different positions to achieve a high final score.

In the SH1 classification, athletes have an impairment affecting their lower limbs or trunk and compete without a rifle support stand. Mona’s achievement is particularly notable given the technical demands of the discipline and the level of competition at the continental event.

Her world-record score of 357.5 placed her ahead of the Chinese and South Korean competitors, who finished second and third respectively. The result also meant that India had a strong presence in the final, with Avani Lekhara competing alongside Mona.

World Record: Mona Surpasses Anna Benson’s Previous Mark

One of the most significant aspects of Mona’s gold-medal performance was the world record she established in the final. The previous record of 356 belonged to Sweden’s Anna Benson, who set the mark in Novi Sad on July 26, 2026.

Mona raised the record to 357.5, improving the previous benchmark by 1.5 points. The performance highlighted her precision and consistency in a demanding shooting discipline.

World records are important milestones in competitive shooting because even small differences in scores can separate leading athletes. Mona’s result not only secured the gold medal but also placed her name at the top of the event’s record books.

The achievement represents another step forward in a sporting journey that has included success at national championships, World Shooting Para Sport World Cups and the Paralympic Games.

Her latest performance also builds on the progress she made after taking up competitive rifle shooting less than five years ago. Since beginning the discipline in December 2021, Mona has progressed from national-level competition to winning medals on the international stage.

Asian Para Games 2026: Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions SH1 Results

The women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final featured competitors from several countries, with Mona producing the highest score to win the gold medal and establish a new world record.

• Gold: Mona Agarwal, India 357.5
• Silver: Cuiping Zhang, China 353.7
• Bronze: Myoung Kim, South Korea 344.4
• Fourth place: Avani Lekhara, India 333.2

The results placed India prominently in the final, with Mona winning the event and Avani finishing fourth. China’s Zhang and South Korea’s Kim completed the podium behind the Indian shooter.

Although Avani did not win a medal in this particular event, her participation alongside Mona underlined India’s presence in the women’s SH1 shooting competition at the Asian Para Games.

Mona’s winning score of 357.5 was 3.8 points higher than Zhang’s silver-medal score and 13.1 points above Kim’s bronze-medal score. These margins reflect the difference between the top three competitors in the final.

From Sikar to the International Shooting Stage

Born in Sikar, Rajasthan, Mona Agarwal has followed a sporting path that differs from that of many elite shooters. Before she began competitive rifle shooting, she participated in para-athletics and para-powerlifting and played an important role in women’s sitting volleyball.

Mona contracted polio when she was nine months old, affecting both her lower limbs. Despite the challenges associated with her impairment, sport became a consistent part of her life, eventually leading her to compete across several disciplines.

Her experience in different sports helped shape a career that later brought her to international para-shooting. Rather than following a conventional route into rifle shooting at a young age, she developed her sporting experience through multiple disciplines before making the switch.

Her achievements demonstrate the varied routes athletes can take towards elite competition. Mona’s transition from team sport and strength-based events to precision shooting required her to develop a different set of technical skills.

Her success in Nagoya is the latest chapter in that journey, with a second gold medal and a world record adding to the achievements she has accumulated since entering competitive shooting.

Early Success in Sitting Volleyball

Before turning to rifle shooting, Mona played a significant role in women’s sitting volleyball. In 2019, she captained Rajasthan’s women’s team to gold at the inaugural National Sitting Volleyball Championship.

The victory was an important achievement in her earlier sporting career and demonstrated her experience in competitive para-sport before she moved into shooting.

Sitting volleyball is a team sport that requires coordination, tactical awareness and communication. Mona’s participation in the discipline provided her with experience in a competitive environment that differed considerably from the individual demands of rifle shooting.

She also competed in para-athletics and para-powerlifting, giving her experience across sports that require different combinations of strength, endurance, coordination and technical execution.

Her decision to take up rifle shooting in December 2021 marked a new phase in her sporting career. Within a short period, she began accumulating medals at national and international competitions.

How Mona Agarwal Built Her Shooting Career

Mona began competitive rifle shooting in December 2021, and her progress in the sport was swift. By 2022, she had won a national silver medal, establishing herself as a competitor to watch in para-shooting.

Her performances soon extended to international events. In 2023, she won bronze in the mixed team event at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in Osijek, Croatia.

That same year, Mona secured gold in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event at the World Cup in Changwon, South Korea. The result represented another major step in her development as an international shooter.

These performances helped build the foundation for her breakthrough in 2024, when she produced a record-setting result at a World Shooting Para Sport World Cup event in New Delhi.

Her early career in rifle shooting illustrates how quickly she adapted to the discipline. After starting in late 2021, she progressed through national competition before securing major international medals and qualifying for the Paralympic Games.

Breakthrough at the New Delhi World Cup in 2024

Mona’s breakthrough came at the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup in New Delhi in March 2024. She won gold in the women’s 10m air rifle SH1 event with a score of 250.7, setting an Asian record.

The performance also secured a Paralympic quota place for India, making it an important moment for both the shooter and the country’s para-shooting campaign.

Winning the event with an Asian-record score demonstrated her ability to compete at a high level against international opponents. It also paved the way for her participation at the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

Her progress during 2024 included further success at World Shooting Para Sport World Cup competitions. She won silver in the mixed team 10m air rifle event at the New Delhi World Cup and gold at the Changwon World Cup in South Korea.

These achievements helped establish Mona as a leading Indian competitor in para-shooting and prepared her for the challenge of competing at the Paralympic Games.

Paris 2024 Paralympics: Bronze Medal Marked a Major Milestone

Mona carried her strong form into the Paris 2024 Paralympics, where she won bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 event.

The medal was a significant milestone in her international career, marking her success at one of the biggest events in para-sport. It also added to India’s achievements in para-shooting during the Games.

Her bronze-medal performance in Paris followed the Asian-record result at the New Delhi World Cup earlier in 2024. Together, the results reflected her rapid development in the sport after beginning competitive rifle shooting in December 2021.

For Mona, the Paris medal was an important achievement, but her career continued beyond the Paralympics. Her latest gold medal at the Asian Para Games 2026, accompanied by a world-record score, represents another major accomplishment.

The two performances came in different events, with her Paris bronze secured in the women’s 10m air rifle standing SH1 competition and her latest gold won in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final.

Arjuna Award Recognition in 2024

Mona’s achievements in para-shooting earned her the Arjuna Award in 2024. The recognition followed her strong performances at national and international competitions, including the World Shooting Para Sport World Cup and the Paris Paralympics.

The award recognised her contribution to Indian sport and marked another milestone in a career that had already included success across multiple disciplines.

Her achievements in 2024 were particularly notable. She established an Asian record at the New Delhi World Cup, secured a Paralympic quota place for India, won medals at World Cup events and claimed bronze at the Paris Paralympics.

The Arjuna Award added national recognition to her international achievements. Her world-record performance at the Asian Para Games in 2026 now gives her another major result to add to that record.

Balancing Elite Sport and Family Responsibilities

Beyond her achievements on the shooting range, Mona is a mother of two. Balancing family responsibilities with the demands of elite sport has been part of her journey.

Her career has involved adapting to different sporting disciplines, competing at national and international events, and preparing for major championships. The demands of high-level shooting include technical training, concentration and consistency, all of which require sustained commitment.

Mona’s experience also reflects the different circumstances and pathways through which para-athletes build their careers. Her sporting background in para-athletics, para-powerlifting and sitting volleyball preceded her entry into rifle shooting, making her progression in the discipline distinctive.

Despite taking up competitive shooting only in December 2021, she has gone on to win national and international medals, earn Paralympic recognition and receive the Arjuna Award.

Her latest performance in Nagoya adds a world record and a second Asian Para Games gold medal to those accomplishments.

Avani Lekhara Finishes Fourth in the Event

India’s Avani Lekhara finished fourth in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final with a score of 333.2. She missed out on a medal in this event, while her compatriot Mona secured gold with a world-record score.

Avani is an established Indian para-shooter, and her participation in the final gave India two competitors in the event. However, the podium places went to Mona, China’s Cuiping Zhang and South Korea’s Myoung Kim.

The difference between Mona’s winning score and Avani’s fourth-place score was 24.3 points. Mona’s 357.5 also improved on the previous world record of 356.

Although Avani did not finish among the medal winners in this final, the result does not change the wider record of her achievements in para-shooting. The event’s immediate highlight for India was Mona’s gold-medal performance and world-record score.

What Mona Agarwal’s World Record Means for Indian Para-Shooting

Mona’s latest victory represents another notable result for Indian para-shooting at the Asian Para Games 2026. Winning a gold medal while setting a world record makes the performance particularly significant.

Her sporting journey also illustrates the potential for athletes to achieve international success after transitioning between disciplines. Mona’s experience in para-athletics, para-powerlifting and sitting volleyball came before she began competitive rifle shooting less than five years ago.

Since then, she has progressed through national competitions, won medals at World Shooting Para Sport World Cup events, earned a place at the Paris 2024 Paralympics and secured bronze at the Games. Her latest gold in Nagoya adds another major achievement to that progression.

The world-record score of 357.5 is the defining detail of her latest performance. By surpassing Anna Benson’s previous mark of 356, Mona combined a continental gold medal with a new global benchmark in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 event.

Her success also highlights India’s participation in a competitive international para-shooting field, with Avani Lekhara finishing fourth in the same final.

Conclusion

Mona Agarwal has doubled her gold-medal tally at the Asian Para Games 2026 with a world-record performance in the women’s 50m rifle 3 positions SH1 final. Her score of 357.5 surpassed Sweden’s Anna Benson’s previous world record of 356 and secured the top position ahead of China’s Cuiping Zhang and South Korea’s Myoung Kim.

The victory adds to Mona’s bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, her World Shooting Para Sport World Cup successes and the Arjuna Award she received in 2024. Her journey from para-athletics, para-powerlifting and sitting volleyball to international shooting success has been marked by rapid progress since she began competitive rifle shooting in December 2021.

At 38, the athlete from Sikar, Rajasthan, has added another landmark achievement to her career. Her second gold medal in Nagoya, combined with a new world record, marks a major moment in her sporting journey and another significant result for Indian para-shooting.