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Clubfooted shooter Rubina Francis extended India's medal-winning run with a bronze in the women's 10m air pistol SH1 event on a day when the country's shuttlers Nitesh Kumar and Sukant Kadam progressed to the semifinals at the Paris Paralympics on Saturday.
Rubina's bronze was India's fourth medal from the shooting range and fifth overall. The 25-year-old from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh aggregated 211.1 to finish third in the eight-woman final behind Iran's Sareh Javanmardi (236.8) and Turkey's Aysel Ozgan (231.1).
The Indian had qualified for the final at seventh spot in the qualification round earlier in the day.
In SH1 class, athletes are able to hold their gun without difficulty and shoot from a standing or sitting position in a wheelchair or chair.
Clubfoot is a deformity in which an infant's feet are turned inward, often so severely that the bottom of the foot faces sideways or even upward.
On Friday, Avani Lekhara had created history by successfully defending her women's 10m air rifle title won in Tokyo while her compatriot Mona Agarwal clinched the bronze. Manish Narwal had then added a silver to India's tally by finishing second in the men's 10m air pistol (SH1).
Rubina's talent was identified by Gun for Glory academy back in 2015 and since then she has not looked back. She had qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics also but finished in seventh position.
She has been trained by Subhash Rana, the younger brother of renowned coach Jaspal Rana, who has shaped the phenomenal career of Haryana shooter Manu Bhaker, who won two bronze medals in Paris Olympics.
SHUTTLERS INCH CLOSER TO MEDAL ROUNDS
Nitesh Kumar and Sukant Kadam qualified for the semifinals of men's singles SL3 and SL4 categories respectively after recording straight-game wins in their last group matches.
Nitesh, who had won a silver medal in the Asian Para Games last year in China, topped Group A after outplaying Mongkhon Bunsun of Thailand 21-13, 21-14, notching up his third successive win.
Bunsun also qualified for the semifinals as the second-place finisher from group A.
In SL3 class, which is meant for players with severe lower limb disability competing on half-width court, the top two finishers from each of the two groups qualify for the semifinals.
In the group A, Tokyo Paralympics bronze medallist Manoj Sarkar, who has already bowed out of the tournament, beat Yang Jianyuan of China 21-1, 21-11. Manoj had earlier lost to Bunsun and Nitesh.
In men's singles SL4 class, meant for athletes with lower limb impairments and minor balance issues in walking or running, Sukant joined compatriot Suhas Yathiraj in the semifinals after beating Thailand's Teamarrom Siripong 21-12, 21-12 to top group B.
This was his second consecutive win in the three-player group. Sukant had won a bronze in the Asian Para Games in China last year.
"It's my debut tournament. I am so happy to be qualified for the semifinals. I was well prepared for today's game. The first match was much tougher than this. And against him I have played plenty of times and I was very confident. So, I wanted to go one point at a time and then I played really well," said Sukant after the match.
"The drift and the atmosphere of the hall is very different. I am happy that I was able to adapt well this time," he added.
In the men's SL4 competition, only the toppers from each of the four groups qualify for the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Mandeep Kaur entered the quarterfinals of the women's singles SL 3 category after defeating Australia's Vinot Celine Aurelie in the women's singles SL 3 event on Saturday.
Mandeep regrouped to win her last group B match 21-23, 21-10, 21-17 against her Australian rival. She had lost her opening match to Nigeria's Bolaji Mariam.
CYCLISTS AND ROWERS DISAPPOINT
The Indian cyclists and rowers, however, endured disappointing exits from the Paralympics. Arshad Shaik and Jyoti Gaderiya failed to make an impact in their respective track cycling events as they crashed out in the qualification round.
In the men's 1,000m time trial C1-3, Shaik could manage only a disappointing bottom-place (17th) finish with a timing of 1:21.416. On Friday, he had failed to progress in the men's 3,000m pursuit C2 event, managing a bottom-place (ninth) finish in qualifying round.
Jyoti too finished at the bottom (11th place) in the women's 500m time trial C1-3 qualifying event, with a timing of 49.233. On Thursday, she had finished at the bottom in the women's 3000m pursuit C1-3 qualifying event.
Shaik had suffered an accident in May 2004. Travelling in an auto, he suffered multiple injuries and his left leg had to be amputated above knee.
Jyoti had also suffered a bike accident in May 2016, resulting to left leg above knee amputation.
The two Indians will also be competing in road cycling events.
Meanwhile, Indian rowers Anita and Narayana Konganapalle crashed out from the mixed PR3 double sculls event.
The pair finished the race with a timing of 7:54.33s, behind Ukraine (7:29.24s) and Great Britain (7:20.53s).
The Indian duo will now compete in Final B, which will decide 7th to 12th spot finishers.
The PR3 category is for para-athletes with residual leg function, allowing them to slide the seat.