Sheetal Devi: The teenage archer with no arms wins bronze in the team event

Winning bronze
India's second bronze
World on notice
World record
Source of inspiration
Phocomelia
How she competes
Triumphed over adversity
Started in 2019
A unique skillset
Intense training
Medals
History
Unwavering focus
Arjuna Award
Youth Athlete of the Year
Tough competition
Winning bronze

Archers Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar secured bronze medals in the compound open archery mixed team event, beating Italy's Matteo Bonacina and Eleonora Sarti 156-155 after narrowly losing to Iran in the semi-finals.

India's second bronze

India's bronze win came after Sheetal Devi's arrow was upgraded following a review. It is the second time India has won a Paralympic medal in archery, after Harvinder Singh won bronze at the Tokyo Games.

World on notice

Devi put the world on notice on the opening day of the Paralympic Games, breaking the world record and finishing in second place with a score of 704 in the women's individual compound ranking rounds.

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World record

The 17-year-old archery sensation and her partner Rakesh Kumar shattered the mixed compound archery team world record, scoring 1399 points before securing a bronze medal.

Source of inspiration

In a world where resilience is frequently celebrated, Sheetal Devi is a genuine source of inspiration for people with huge physical obstacles to overcome.

Phocomelia

According to the BBC, Devi was born in the Jammu district with a condition called phocomelia, a rare congenital condition that left her without arms, making her one of the very few female archers to compete without arms.

How she competes

When competing, Devi is seated on a chair. She raises the bow with her right leg, pulls back the string with her right shoulder, and releases the bow with her jaw.

Triumphed over adversity

The Indian archer has triumphed over extreme adversity to become one of the best para-archers in the sport today. Her journey to become that is nothing short of incredible.

Started in 2019

Sheetal's extraordinary journey started in 2019 at a youth event in Kishtwar, where her exceptional athletic abilities caught the attention of coaches from the Indian army.

A unique skillset

The teenager's undeniable strength and determination were recognised by her ability to climb trees with no arms. In recognising her unique skillset, the coaches tried to fit her with prosthetic limbs but later found inspiration from Matt Stutzman, a para-archer with no arms.

Intense training

Following an intense 11-month training regime under coaches Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Vedwan, Devi rose astronomically to the top of the sport and competed on a world level.

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Medals

Devi made headlines at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, winning a gold medal in the individual compound and gold in the mixed team compound event. She also took home silver in the doubles compound.

History

According to CNBC, Devi is the first and only international para-archery champion without upper limbs. However, she isn't done yet!

"I am inspired to win the gold"

The BBC reports Devi said: "I am inspired to win the gold. Whenever I see the medals I have won [until now], I feel inspired to win more. I have only just started."

Unwavering focus

Her unwavering focus on winning a gold medal for her country is a testament to her extraordinary character. For her focus and dedication, she has received some prestigious awards.

Arjuna Award

According to the Times of India, in January 2024, Devi was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award, one of India's highest sports honours. The award was in recognition of Devi's remarkable journey from a remote village to a global para-athlete icon.

Youth Athlete of the Year

The 2023 Best Youth Athlete of the Year, awarded by the Asian Paralympic Committee, qualified for the Paris Games after winning a silver medal at the Para-Archery World Championships.

Tough competition

The teenage sensation faces tough competition at the Paralympic Games, including world number three Jane Karla Gogel and the reigning World Championship winner Oznur Cure. After a remarkable journey, you wouldn't put it past Devi to secure her maiden Paralympic gold.

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