Paralympian archer Sheetal Devi has captivated audiences worldwide with her extraordinary skills, making a memorable debut at the biggest global sports stage this year. Despite narrowly missing out on advancing to the knockout stages, her performance left a lasting impact.
In the Women’s Individual Compound Archery qualifying round, Sheetal showcased her prowess by breaking a previous world record of 698 points, shooting an impressive 703 out of a possible 720 points. This incredible feat earned her a second-place finish. However, in a tense battle, she was narrowly defeated by Chile’s Zuniga Mariana, losing 137-138. Her near victory prevented her from moving forward in the competition.
Sheetal had been one of India’s brightest medal hopefuls, following her outstanding achievements at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year. She won three medals, including two golds in the individual and mixed team compound competitions, and a silver in the doubles compound event.
At just 17 years old, Sheetal Devi, who was born with the congenital condition phocomelia, has amazed everyone with her unique ability to shoot arrows using her legs, shoulder, and jaw. Currently ranked number one globally in the compound open women’s category, her accolades include a gold medal at the 2023 Asian Para Games and a silver at the Para-Archery World Championship, which earned her a spot at the Paris Paralympics.
Hailing from a small farming village in Jammu district, Sheetal’s journey in archery began just two years ago in 2022. She was introduced to the sport at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board sports complex in Katra, where she met her coaches, Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Vedwan, who have guided her to international success.