After her historic gold in shooting (SH1 category) at the Tokyo Paralympics, there are now truckloads of expectations from Avani Lekhara to replicate that performance at the upcoming Paralympics in Paris.
However, Avani is not getting swayed by those expectations and is "focussing on the process rather than the outcome" in the lead-up to the Games.
"I think we have been in a very positive environment throughout. We are just focussing on the process rather than the outcome. There, obviously, will be expectations but those expectations only motivate me and inspire me more to give my best," Avani told PTI.
Avani revealed that she tries to keep the negative as well as positive motivation outside of the firing lane to ensure she doesn't miss the mark.
"I'm also more mature in my technique. And whatever it is, even if it is a negative or a positive motivation, I try to keep it outside the (firing) lane. When I go to the lane, I am only focusing and concentrating on my process rather than thinking about other things," she added.
"I like to keep it (competitions) as similar to training as possible. If there is something which will happen in a match, I try it during training so that when I go into a competition I don't feel any uncertainty. I just try to control the controllable.
"I try to keep my focus, my concentration. All the regimen that I follow, be it physical or mental training, all of it I try to keep it as similar as possible," she mentioned.
Avani's preparations hit a roadblock when she underwent gallbladder surgery in March right after the Para Shooting World Cup in New Delhi. However, she has now fully recovered from the surgery and is gearing up to deliver her best in Paris.
"Yes, I was not well. I had a surgery in March and after that I was on a recovery break for one and a half months. At that time, I was not shooting but then after that, I came back, gave my selection trials and since then I've been in training," she added.
