Asian Para Games, Sheetal Devi scripts history: Decoding her achievements
Teenage armless archer Sheetal Devi scripted history on Friday at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China. She became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in a single edition of the Asian Para Games as she bagged the top honors in the women's archery compound event. Overall, she has amassed three medals at the event, two golds and a silver.
Hat-trick of medals for Sheetal at the Asian Para Games
Sheetal won her first gold of the Asian Para Games 2023 in the mixed team compound event. She then bagged a silver medal in the compound women's doubles event followed by another gold medal in the women's individual compound event. Sheetal paired up with Sarita in the women's doubles event while partnering with Rakesh Kumar in the mixed team event.
Sheetal suffers from Phocomelia and hails from Kishtwar in J&K
Sheetal was born with Phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that restricts the development of limbs. The 16-year-old archer hails from Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir. According to reports, she was discovered near the military camp and was adopted by the Indian Army in her childhood. Initially, she couldn't lift the bow properly but she has now defied all odds to prove her mettle.
"Initially, I couldn't lift the bow," Sheetal on her struggle
"Initially, I could not even lift the bow properly. But, after practicing for a couple of months, it became easier," Sheetal told the Indian Express. "My parents always had faith in me. I didn't like the look on people's faces when they realized that I didn't have arms. These medals prove that I am special. These medals are for my country," she added.
First armless woman to win Para World Archery Championship medal
Sheetal's determination made her the first armless woman to win the Para World Archery Championship medal in July as she defeated Singapore's Alim Nur Syahidah 144-142 to clinch the gold. Ankur Dhama was the first Indian to win two gold medals in a single event.
Sheetal's rise in sports
The youngster's transformation from being a school-going teenager to an Asian Games medallist started when she was enrolled in a youth event organized by the Indian Army in 2021. There she impressed a lot of people and caught the eye. She also impressed the scouts with her performance. She tried getting a prosthetic arm but it wouldn't fit and she started using her legs.
From climbing trees to scaling heights in Asian Para Games
She had a strong upper body mainly due to climbing trees. So a test was conducted by Sports Physiotherapist Shrikant Iyengar who suggested picking up archery. She trained at a sports complex in Katra under coaches Abhilasha Chaudhury and Kuldeep Vedwan. They had never trained an armless person in their career. However, they saw London Paralympics silver medallist Matt Stutzman shoot with his legs.
First female armless archer to win a World Championship medal
Earlier in 2023, she won the silver medal at the World Para Archery Championships in Pilsen, Czech Republic. Sheetal lost to Oznur Cure of Turkey in the final. However, she became the first female armless archer to win a medal in the World Championship
Here are her achievements
Sheetal won two silver medals and a bronze medal at the European para-archery cup held in Nove Mesto, Czech Republic in May 2023. She has also won a bronze medal at the Women's Khelo India Games. She has also secured her place in the Paris Paralympics next year. She took up archery just a year ago and has already done wonders.
