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Know Avani Lekhara: An Indian woman, a Paralympic Gold Medallist

by Guest Author 08/12/2024

written by Guest Author

By Parika Singh

24 shots, that was all it took to make or break your dreams on a global platform. 24 shots, that was what it took for Indian Paralympic shooter Avani Lekhara to defend her Gold medal from Tokyo 2020 at the Paralympics, 2024, in Paris this week.

Her face shone with triumph as she watched the Indian tri-colour rise above, the national anthem played alongside, dedicated to her victorious country. Lekhara fulfilled the fervent hopes of 1.4 billion people who consoled themselves with silver and bronze in the Olympics this year.

Born in Jaipur in 2001, Avani Lekhara began her shooting career at the age of 14, inspired by Olympic Gold medallist Abhinav Bindra. Her journey was fraught with trials at every step, particularly after the car accident at the age of 12 which resulted in paraplegia. However, Lekhara firmly believed that her disability would not transition into an inability to achieve everything she wanted in life. And her innumerable laurels became a living embodiment of that belief.

Countless athletes with impairment like Avani Lekhara, watched 16 renditions of the Olympics until 1960 in Rome, when the 17^th Olympics finally gave them a platform in the form of the Paralympics. As the world watched in awe, with each edition the Paralympics produced exemplary sportspersons, unparalleled in their technique, form, and mastery of their respective sports.

With each seemingly impossible feat, they compelled the world to see them, truly see them- beyond their physical disabilities, to value their accomplishments and place them on the same stature as winners and record setters in the Olympic games. And Lekhara seamlessly joined their ranks this year.

Honoured with the Padma Shri and the Arjuna Award, Lekhara became the first Indian woman to win a Paralympic gold four years ago, as well as the first woman in the country to win two medals in the same Olympics, a Gold, and a Bronze, in 2020. She also set a new record of 249.6 that year. It was only fitting that she broke it herself by winning her second consecutive Gold medal with a new record of 249.7 in the ongoing Paralympics.

After she qualified for the finals in the women’s 10 m air rifle standing (SH1), the eliminations between the 8 shooters were nerve-wracking. Although Lekhara retained her position in the top 2 till the fourth round, she suddenly dropped to the 4^th position in the 5^th round and was even briefly overtaken by fellow Indian para-athlete, Mona Agarwal, as the bottom shooter kept getting eliminated with each round and only three remained.

However, her years of experience and incomparable skills won in the end when Lekhara shot an incredible 10.6 and 10.7 in the penultimate round, tying for the top spot with Korea’s G Lee Yunri, both scoring 229.3 points. This secured the Bronze medal for India as Mona Agarwal finished 3^rd with 228.7 points. The final two shots suddenly became the difference between Silver and the elusive Gold.

Indian spectators nearly encountered crushing disappointment when Avani Lekhara’s 23^rd shot stopped at 9.9 while Lee Yunri touched 10.7. But the pressure at this international scale can even envelope the most seasoned athletes. Lee Yunri exemplified it with her 24^th shot which restricted itself to 6.8. This is when Lekhara held her nerves and shot a magnificent 10.5, to successfully defend her previously held title.

“I would like to dedicate this to the country and the whole team, their support was so good that I was able to go there and win”, Lekhara declared in an interview post her victory. She claimed to have experienced a new high this time because of her prior championship and conveyed she was happy to share the podium with Agarwal.

https://x.com/IndiaembFrance/status/1829493842078273821

Of course, her Paris journey was far from over. Even before the celebrations subsided, Lekhara began gearing up for further events in the Paralympics 2024. With the upcoming qualifications for women’s 50 m rifle 3 positions (SH1), she has the opportunity to become the only Indian para-athlete to win two Gold medals in the same year. No Indian athlete has achieved this feat in the Olympics either. But with her talent, grit, and determination, the sky is the limit for Avani Lekhara.

08/12/2024 0 comments 34 views

Mothers’ Sentiments: A Tale Of Unity Behind Fierce Rivalry

by Guest Author 08/12/2024

written by Guest Author

By Lauren Prem

Sports is much more than mere competition! It is a life experience – one capable of changing a person, for good or bad. As Vinesh Phogat strives to stand up for herself in a hostile environment, the Olympics 2024 has portrayed a shimmer of hope and optimism through a heartwarming incident where Neeraj Chopra’s mother calls Arshad Nadeem her son and Arshad Nadeem’s mother calls Neeraj Chopra her son, thereby giving testimony to the point that sports does not need to be all about competition. Nadeem and Neeraj won gold and silver respectively, yet Neeraj Chopra’s mother appreciates Nadeem’s performance and says “For us, silver is also like gold.”

India and Pakistan have always been viewed through a lens of rivalry and competition when speaking of sports, especially cricket. However, this story has (with javelin) proven that rivals need not be enemies all the time and that rivalry can come with a sense of support towards each other. Being sportive in sports is ironically missing in the era where India-Pakistan cricket matches are viewed with hate towards the opposite country. This story serves as a positive reminder that a glimpse of love can be found in sports when a good mindset is adopted.

A popular tweet on this matter reads “If mothers ran the world, there would be no hate or wars.” In an interview, Neeraj’s mother considers her son and Nadeem one and the same, thereby stating that gold or silver would not make a difference to her. Sometimes excessive focus on the outcome is said to be counterproductive. It leads people to convince themselves that short cuts and evil-rooted means are satisfactory if the desired result is achieved. However, approaching challenges with a good heart can get one to achieve more than symbolic wins – medals and trophies.

Giving and taking bribes, nepotism and aggressive rivalry have always been attributed to sports. These are some common activities that sportsmen indulge in, for a few trophies and medals. This makes us inevitably conclude that two rivals cannot look beyond sports and become friends. Nadeem’s mother further tells how she prayed for Neeraj’s performance too. An emphasis on spirit and dedication, rather than the outcome, brings more fame, respect and applause than any gold medal ever can. These two talented sportsmen have inspiring mothers, who are now the talk of the town, solely for their good will and angelic thinking. Neeraj and Nadeem are also good friends beyond sports and this amicability can be attributed to their mothers’ virtuous mindsets. They have given us a message that a heart of gold pushes one to reach significant heights!

08/12/2024 0 comments 32 views

Gender Parity At The 2024 Paris Olympics: Really A Tale Of Winning Together?

by Guest Author 08/12/2024

written by Guest Author

By Lauren Prem

From not being allowed to go out of their homes, to going places internationally, women have truly proven their mettle!

Vinesh Phogat’s tale is the latest testimony to the quote above – as she has proven her mettle, truly! In general, the 2024 Paris Olympics, currently taking place, is also a testimony to this inspirational quote that I was forced to pen down after witnessing the participation and recognition of many other women in various sports. Even before the 2024 Olympics started, gender justice enthusiasts all over the world began terming this game as the ‘gender-equal’ Olympics due to having quotas to ensure 50% of the game spots are allotted to women. The Paris Olympics 2024 is the first Olympic game to provide 50% women reservation.

As of 2023, representation of women in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) stands at 44% and the IOC has collaborated with the UN to ensure that gender equality is attained in games. This reflects in the fact that 50% of the competing athletes are women and the IOC takes pride in declaring this milestone.

The latest tale has caught Indians basking in pride after Vinesh Phogat’s victory in the 2024 Paris Olympics. She has bagged a record of being the first Indian women to qualify for the Olympic finals in wrestling. When asked about her resilience, she points to her mother as her source of inspiration. Apart from sports, she has also stood up for Indian wrestlers, whose plight was ignored amidst the buzz of other prominent sports like cricket. She set an example for others by embodying the notion of ‘winning together’, as she stood up for wrestling as a sport and not just for herself! Irrespective of the latest turn of events disqualifying Vinesh Phogat, which is now a subject matter of inquiry, no one can deny how she underwent turbulent times, protesting for more than a year in Delhi, on the roads and then still coming out bright at the Olympics! Indians rejoiced at her victory and felt heart-broken at her disqualification – an indication that she has truly won hearts and emerged as a story of persistence and the never say die attitude.

Indians also take pride in the fact that Manu Bhaker, an Indian shooter, has won two medals in the same edition. Globally, boxer Cindy Ngamba, gymnast Kaylia Nemour, Olympic athlete Jessica von Bredow-Werndland shooter Francisca Crovetto Chadidhave made their respective nations proud by winning Refugee Olympic team’s first ever medal, first gold for Arabs, individual dressage gold and Chile’s first Olympic gold respectively. Swimmer Katie Ledecky has won nine Olympic gold medals and four in 2024 Olympics alone. Gymnast Simone Biles bags gold for the seventh time in Olympics.

Due to a combination of these facts, this year’s Olympics is said to mark a ‘new era’ for women in sports. Does this mean gender equality has been achieved in sports? And can the 2024 Olympics be termed ‘gender-equal’?

The goal of gender-equality has not yet been attained and all progress does not stop here! As reported by an article in the EuroNews, gender parity and gender equality are not the same. Women may be equal in number but facts and figures do not always correctly depict social situations. Considering Paris 2024 games to be ‘gender-equal’ is akin to saying that female reservations in jobs have helped reach the goal of gender-equality.

The truth, however, is that women still face significant discrimination in their workplaces and gender inequality is apparent, if we look beyond numbers. The issue of gender inequality is persistent in all domains of life that it becomes tempting to draw parallels. In most circumstances, parallels do help paint a bigger picture of the reality. Let us realistically view what this international event means for women!

The step taken by the IOC as regards boosting female participation in sports is a commendable one. But let us not stop and take pride at this juncture itself! This win would be illusionary if we continue to pretend like other issues regarding gender inequality do not exist and that gender-equality in sports has already been achieved.

The gender balance is undoubtedly shifting to reflect a positive sports environment for women. However, issues regarding gender representation are omnipresent in all walks of life and sports is no exception. A study in an article published in the Journal of Sports Media, titled “A Quarter Century of NBC’s Prime-Time Summer Olympics: A Sex-Based Analysis of the Network’s Coverage” shows that less media coverage of female athletes gives out a perception to the public that women athletics do that matter.

An ample number of studies also suggest that the media is biased in terms of reporting female wins in sports. These two biases are corollary to each other, one reinforcing the other. The lack of media coverage sends an impression that women sports do not matter and consequently, media houses refrain from reporting on women.

Spreading awareness is the panacea to these interwoven twin evils. International Organizations like the UN already emphasize and monitor hindrances in the way of women empowerment. The same must be done at the local level as well. Local governments must come up with initiatives to break free from gender stereotypes.

If these initiatives are properly implemented, the media would begin reporting women sports news in a hope that their platforms would go viral as the audience would begin to acknowledge and appreciate their efforts in promoting women athletes. The credibility of the respective media houses would also improve if they sensitize themselves on the issues plaguing women athletes.

Apart from the issue of less media coverage, a substantial number of studies online show that women also get less sponsorships as compared to men, which increases the inequality divide off-fields as well. This issue can again be traced back to the stereotype that women sports do not matter.

Reading about lingering inequalities in news has made me ponder over some instances of stereotypes regarding women and sports that I have observed in my life. Women who claim to enjoy sports are often extensively quizzed by men, so much so that, they feel embarrassed to express their interest in sports. Can’t we allow a woman express to her passion towards cricket without her knowing about what happened in 1979 cricket world cup? While this might seem unrelated to participation and equality, it clearly propagates an idea that women cannot be interested in sports.

Ultimately, all inequalities stem from stereotypes – a fixed idea that things are the way they are and cannot be changed. These stereotypes are making it harder for us to accommodate any new views and perceptions – those that portray women to be as equal and capable as men.

Since time immemorial, stereotypes that women must stay at home has been so deeply entrenched in the minds of people – women included. I personally know women from villages who seriously believe that women must stay at home and cook for their families while men are not expected to do the same. While this is not the reality anymore and women in fact have started working, these stereotypes still appear as thorns in a race track where women run.

Directly or indirectly, long-standing stereotypes have emerged as an interference to women reaching their fullest capabilities in sports. Although there is no dearth of talent, off-field discrimination such as less media coverage and sponsorships, prove to be real obstacles for women who have somehow managed to make it to international sports. Till we address these behind-the-scenes issues, we would be ignorant to claim that men and women are in fact winning together!

And Vinesh Phogat’s story is now a legendary one – a society that is quick to take the credit for the performance of women athletes, turning a blind eye when they raise issues of systemic or individual discrimination. We need to truly wake up.

To tell a tale of winning together, the starting point of the race must be the same!

08/12/2024 0 comments 40 views

Achievements of Women In Olympics, 2020

by Guest Author 08/12/2024

written by Guest Author

Author: Pooja Bhattacharjee

The recently concluded Tokyo Olympics gave people from all over the world a reason to celebrate. Considering the highly anxious environment at the Olympic village as well as the galloping threat of COVID – 19, the women athletes gave a stunning performance. The International Olympic Committee branded the 2020 edition as ‘the first ever gender-balanced Olympic Games in history’ with 49% of the 11,656 athletes being female. This is an amazing feat, considering that women were barred from participating in the Olympics when it first began. It shows not only the hard work that women athletes put in, but also the dedication and sacrifice of all the women who paved the way for them.

Indian athletes proved their mettle by giving exemplary performances at the games and showed that there is nothing that can affect their hard work and resilience. Out of the 127 athletes sent to the Tokyo Olympics by India, 56 athletes were women. India’s total medal tally at the Olympics stood at 7, which made history as being the highest ever India won in a single edition. Out of 7 medals, 3 were won by women. Mirabai Chanu won the Silver Medal in Weight Lifting (Women’s 49kg) and opened the books for Indian athletes for this edition. PV Sindhu bagged a Bronze Medal in Women’s Single Badminton and Lovlina Borgohain won India a Bronze Medal in Women’s Welterweight Boxing.

Indian Women’s Hockey team may not have won a medal at the Olympics but they scripted history at the games by giving their best-ever Olympic performance in Tokyo. Aditi Ashok gave an unbelievably amazing performance and finished 4th in the Women’s Golf final at Tokyo 2020. Ms. CA Bhavani Devi made history by being the first fencer to represent India at the Olympics. This number can be increased if more women, especially women from small towns and villages have access to the sport facilities.

Internationally too, women dominated the games. The U.S. women finished the Games with 66 medals, followed by China. The U.S women’s basketball team claimed its seventh consecutive gold, while the water polo team won its third gold in a row and the volleyball team won its first gold. Allyson Felix in her fifth Olympics claimed bronze in the 400 meters and gold in the 4×400 relay, giving her the 10th and 11th Olympic medals of her career. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz became the first Philippine athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. Japan’s women’s basketball team won its first silver medal. Gymnasts from the Russian Olympic Committee won gold in the team event for the first time since 1992.

It is true that not all women athletes who participated in the Tokyo Olympics left with a medal. But all of them left a legacy of hardwork and strength, of sacrifice and overcoming the struggles and breaking the patriarchy which existed in this field to a great extent along with inspiring a generation of young girls to take interest in sports.

08/12/2024 0 comments 27 views

What’s next for Mirabai Chanu after winning Silver at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

by Ashmi Sheth 08/12/2024

written by Ashmi Sheth

Ashmi Sheth

Manipur’s Mirabai Chanu tweets, “Finally, its a dream come true for me,” as she wins India’s first silver medal at Tokyo Olympics 2020 in the women’s 49-kg weightlifting category on Saturday. Mirabai lifted a total of 202kg (87kg + 110kg) to finish second to China’s Hou Zhihui, who won the gold with an Olympic record total of 210kg.

Mirabai’s journey in the sport was not a planned one. As a child, Mirabai would go to the jungle to pick firewood, which the family needed to cook food. Her brother recalls how Mirabai showed strength even as a small child by carrying more wood than anyone else. At the age of 12, she had gone to the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal to get herself enrolled in archery. When she found the archery centre closed, she stepped into the nearby weightlifting arena to enquire about archery. It was then that the weights and weightlifting apparatus attracted her attention and she got hooked to the sport for life. Mirabai strived hard at that young age to adjust her training to her school schedule. She had to change the bus twice from her village to traverse a distance of about 20 km to reach the training centre every day at 6am.

Mirabai’s first breakthrough was in 2014, when she won silver at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in the 48kg category. After a heart-breaking performance at Rio Olympics 2016 and recovering from multiple injuries, Mirabai’s win at the Tokyo 2020 is an example of what resilience, hardwork and persistent determination can do. It seems that the setback in 2016 Olympics only thrust Mirabai forward. She won a gold medal at the World Weightlifting Championships in 2017 and at the Commonwealth Games in Australia a year later. In 2018, Mirabai Chanu was honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri. In April 2021, she set a world record in clean & jerk at the Asian Weightlifting Championships held in Tashkent.

“Mirabai comes from a middle-class family and had to struggle a lot to pursue weightlifting,” says N Kunjarani Devi, the most celebrated Indian veteran weightlifter, who hails from the same State. “Her parents and family supported her and she also took care of them once she got a job with the Railways. She also got cash awards for winning medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games,” she added.

A number of sports celebrities, ministers, and fans took to Twitter and congratulated Mirabai on her feat. In addition to the pride, love, and praise, Mirabai would be awarded a sum of Rs. 40 lakh on winning the silver medal, as announced by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) yesterday. Most of all, the name “Mirabai Chanu” will be marked in history and she will be remembered as an Olympic medallist forever, inspiring women for years to come.

What will be next on Mirabai’s mind? Will she be preparing for gold at the next Olympics or will she focus on the next Asian or Commonwealth games? While she decides, Indian Twitterati have already started planning on her biopic!

08/12/2024 0 comments 32 views

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Olympics

Know Avani Lekhara: An Indian woman, a Paralympic Gold Medallist

Mothers’ Sentiments: A Tale Of Unity Behind Fierce Rivalry

Gender Parity At The 2024 Paris Olympics: Really A Tale Of Winning Together?

Achievements of Women In Olympics, 2020

What’s next for Mirabai Chanu after winning Silver at Tokyo Olympics 2020?

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