Madhya Pradesh shooter Rubina Francis has set a world record and won herself the gold in the 10-metre air pistol para women event at World shooting Para Sport Cup in Peru on Wednesday. Rubina, 21, scored 238.1 points and beat the world record of Aysegul Pehlivanlar of Turkey, also securing the Paralympic quota for India at the Tokyo games this year.
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Rubina started the learning basics of shooting in 2006 in a camp organised by an academy in Jabalpur where she practised for 10 years before moving to Bhopal. In 2017, she started practising at MP Shooting Academy. Her father Simon Francis said, “She is a special child who turned her weakness into her strength [Rubina has a disability in her leg] and fought hard.”
“Initially, we faced hardships as I didn’t have money to even afford petrol to take her to the academy in Jabalpur. I used to wait for hours during her practice session as I couldn’t afford to commute twice to the academy. Later, her mother started working at a private hospital to fulfil basic needs,” said Francis, a mechanic by profession.
Rubina has won more than 15 medals in national and international events. Her achievement was lauded by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and sports minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia on social media.
{{/usCountry}}Rubina has won more than 15 medals in national and international events. Her achievement was lauded by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and sports minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia on social media.
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