Paris 2024: Iranian star Javanmardi clinches third successive gold

Unstopabble! 

The perfect word to describe Sareh Javanmardi as she opened her Paris 2024 Paralympic campaign with a commanding performance at the Chateauroux shooting range on Saturday (31 August).

Javanmardi, the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 champion, retained the P2 -women's 10m air pistol SH1 title for the third successive Games putting up a pillar to post victory.  She has qualified in the top spot and mainatined the lead throughout, unfazed with the pressure of expectations.

As expected, there a close contest between Javanmardi and the reigning world champion Aysel Ozgan from Turkiye but the Iranian's final series of 10.3 and 10.7 were enough to seal the gold for her. She finished with 236.8, a couple of points ahead of Ozgan (231.1) the current world record holder.

To highlight Javanmardi's recent achievements, the Iranian great claimed the Asian Para Games silver in October 2023 after becoming a mother in July 2023. In Paris, she yet again stamped her dominance and showed why she is the best in the business.

“This was my dream, to win a medal,” she said.

“I am so tremendously happy to have won my fifth Paralympic medal. There is nothing that can match this, really.”

The 36-year-old Iranian, who was a double gold medallist at Rio 2016, also indicated the intention to retire soon. 

“I have a private collection and this will probably be my last medal. I want to retire now.

“I think I will train my child to follow my lead.”

It was a special silver for Ozgan as she just won her first Paralympic medal since she debuted in Beijing 2008, on the day. 

For India , it was a memorable moment for the team cheering at the stands. Youngster Rubina Francis claimed the first ever medal in women's pistol event - she took the bronze after staying in the contention in the final series of shots. This was India's third medal at the Games after Avani Lekhara's gold and Manish Narwal's silver on Friday  (30 August). 

“This is my first Paralympics medal and I can’t express myself in the right words. I am so excited, I got it finally.

“It has taken me 10 years to get on the podium," said Francis, the Asian Para Games bronze medallist.

Park gets elusive gold

Earlier, Korean veteran Jinho Park won his first Paralympic gold ending a long wait for that elusive medal with a Games record score in R1 men’s 10m air rifle standing SH1. 

Park, a silver and bronze medallist at Tokyo 2020, shot an impressive series in the finals to total 249.4 points - to grab the Paralympic record along with his world record (from Changwon 2023). He finished ahead of Kazakhstan's Yerkin Gabbasov and Denmark's Martin Black Joergensen at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre.

"It was the only medal I did not have so now I have achieved everything. I feel fulfilled,” said Park heaving a sigh of relief.

“My wife, she has sacrificed so much. I have not seen her and my family very much in the last year as I prepared for the Paralympic Games. 

“I will award this medal to my wife and my family," the world champion Park said dedicating the medal to his wife.

Competition at the Chateauroux Shooting Centre continue on Sunday (1 September) with two finals lined up for the day.