 "Paris Paralympics 2024: Rubina Francis wins women's 10m air pistol SH1 bronze, takes India's medal count to five")
Rubina Francis won bronze in the women’s 10m air pistol SH1 final on Saturday, taking India’s medal count in shooting at the ongoing Paris Paralympics to four and their overall medal count to five. Francis, who had finished seventh during the qualifying round, finished third in the final with a score of 211.1 after 22 shots.
Paris Paralympics 2024: News | Medal Tally | India Schedule
She had qualified for the final at seventh spot in the qualification round earlier in the day. Iran’s Javanmardi Sareh won her third successive Paralympics gold with a total score of 236.8 while world record holder Ozgan Aysel of Turkey took the silver with 231.1 in a fierce competition between the two favourites.
Rubina’s medal was India’s fourth in shooting and fifth overall at the Paris Paralympics. She is India’s first woman pistol shooter to win a Paralympics medal.
Things we love to see! 😍
— JioHotstar Reality (@HotstarReality) August 31, 2024
Rubina Francis secures her Bronze medal with a stellar performance at the #ParalympicGamesParis2024. 💪🏻#ParalympicsOnJioCinema #JioCinemaSports #Paris2024 #Shooting #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/r0gqWBSivn
She had secured the Paris Paralympics quota under the bipartite (wildcard) rule a few days before the contingent’s departure for the French capital. In SH1 class, athletes are able to hold their gun without difficulty and shoot from a standing or sitting position in a wheelchair or chair.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsA daughter of mechanic in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Rubina was born with an impairment to her leg, and she took up the sport inspired by her admiration for legendary Indian shooter Gagan Narang’s Olympic achievements.
Her story is an example of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of sport in overcoming adversity. She is competing in her second Paralympics, having finished seventh in the final in Tokyo three years ago.
𝑹𝒖-𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒍 𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒂𝒓 𝒏𝒂𝒉𝒊 𝒎𝒂𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊 🫡
— JioHotstar Reality (@HotstarReality) August 31, 2024
Rubina Francis wins a bronze medal in the Women's 10m Air Pistol SH1 Final with a score of 211.1! ⚡
️#ParalympicGamesParis2024 #ParalympicsOnJioCinema #JioCinemaSports #Paris2024 #Shooting pic.twitter.com/TO9kf6gphH
Rubina was consistent all through the final. She was third at the end of stage 1 of 10 shots with 97.6 with Ozgan leading with 99.5.
The Indian briefly slipped to fourth spot at the end of the 14th shot. But, she recovered and returned to third sport in the next series of two shots.
On Friday, Avani Lekhara had created history by successfully defending her women’s 10m air rifle gold medal which she had clinched in Tokyo Paralympics, with compatriot Mona Agarwal winning the bronze.
Manish Narwal then added a silver medal in the men’s 10m air pistol (SH1). In the qualification round, Rubina trailed the top-eight shooters for most part but picked up speed at the fag end to sneak into the medal round.
She was placed 14th after the first series of 10 shots in the qualifying round, but gradually moved up and clinched a spot in the eight-shooter final with a score of 556.
Born into a lower-middle-class family, Rubina faced the added obstacle of leg dysfunction. Her father Simon, initially a mechanic, struggled to support her growing passion for shooting due to financial constraints.
Her shooting journey began in 2015 as her determination and her father’s tireless efforts led her to Gun for Glory Academy — founded by Gagan Narang — in 2017.
Under the mentorship of Jai Prakash Nautiyal and Subhash Rana, she made quick progress and was selected at the MP Shooting Academy. At the MP Shooting Academy her skills flourished. She won a gold medal at the World Shooting Para Sport Championships in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates in 2022.
With PTI inputs
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
