Who is Mona Agarwal? All you need to know about the Indian para-shooter competing in the Paris 2024 Paralympics

With India sending 84 athletes to the ongoing Paris 2024 Paralympics, para rifle shooter Mona Agarwal has been an athlete to catch the eye of fans and neutrals alike. The Paris 2024 Paralympics will take place between August 28 and September 8.

37-year-old para-shooter Mona Agarwal, who will compete in three medal events in Paris, is one of the prime medal hopefuls for a country aiming to better its Tokyo 2020 Paralympics haul of 19 medals.

Qualifying after a series of winning performances in international tournaments, Mona will compete in the women’s 10m air rifle standing R2 event, mixed 50m rifle prone R6 event, and women’s 50m rifle 3 positions R8 event in France.

Due to her lower limb impairment caused by an onset of polio in her childhood, Mona will compete in the SH1 category in the Paris 2024 Paralympics.

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Mona Agarwal’s career in brief

While every athlete participating in the Paris 2024 Paralympics has a story of their own, few will match Mona Agarwal’s life story. Born in Sikar, Rajasthan, Mona’s life was handicapped from the very beginning, not just by the polio ailment that rendered her unable to walk, but also by prejudice towards girl children.

Unable to complete her education, Mona ran away to Jaipur, where she turned to para-sports based on her maternal grandmother’s encouragement.

Confined to a wheelchair, Mona turned to para-athletics, trying her hand at shot put, discus, javelin throw and powerlifting, reaching state-level tournaments in each. However, her body was unable to sustain the rigor of athletics, and she turned to para-shooting in mid-2021 as a suitable avenue for her to chase her dreams.

That dream came true as she was selected for the WSPS World Cup in Osijek, Croatia in 2023, winning a bronze medal on her first try. She then aimed to qualify for the Paris 2024 Paralympics in both the 2022 Asian Para Games and the 2023 WSPS Championships in Lima.

She narrowly missed out on securing a Paralympic berth from the previous events. However, she finally achieved success at the WSPS World Cup 2024 in New Delhi, winning a gold medal by registering a total score of 250.7.

With that performance, she secured a place for herself at the upcoming Paris 2024 Paralympics, where she will aim to show the world that courage can overcome any disability if one is determined enough like Mona Agarwal.