India’s para-shooter Rubina Francis secured the XXth position in the Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 final at the Cateauroux Range during the Paris Paralympic Games on Saturday.
Rubina began the final strongly, ranking second in Stage 1 with a score of 97.6, trailing only behind Iran’s Paralympic record holder Sareh Javanmardi and Turkey’s Aysel Ozgan.
Despite a challenging start in Stage 2, Rubina composed herself to remain in medal contention. As the eliminations progressed, Rubina had to stay focused and deliver consistent shots to secure a place on the podium and contribute to India’s medal tally.
In the decisive elimination round before the medal positions were confirmed, Rubina faced off against Turkey’s Aysegul Pehlivanlar. Rubina extended her lead with a 9.5 shot, while Pehlivanlar managed an 8.8. However, Pehlivanlar added pressure by shooting a 10.1, but Rubina responded with a solid 9.8, ensuring a medal for herself.
Rubina advanced to the second position, competing against Ozgan, with Sareh comfortably in the lead. Ultimately, Rubina secured a third-place finish, earning the bronze medal.
Earlier in the day, Rubina had a less-than-ideal start in the qualifying event. She struggled in Series 1 but gradually improved her accuracy with each shot. It took a strong performance in the final series to secure her spot in the final.
Rubina’s bronze marks India’s fifth medal at the 2024 Paralympic Games and the fourth medal from the shooting team. Avani Lekhara, Mona Agarwal, Manish Narwal, and Preethi Pal were the other Indian shooters who won medals in their respective events the day before.