Paris Paralympics: India's armless archer Sheetal Devi spellbinds spectators
Sheetal Devi, a 17-year-old Indian archer without arms, has been making headlines at the ongoing Paris Paralympics. Although Sheetal missed out on an individual medal, her debut performance in the compound archery event was met with admiration from spectators. Her determination was evident throughout her journey to the pre-quarterfinals. Sheetal, the only female armless archer at the Paris Games, later won bronze with Rakesh Kumar. A video clip of her remarkable skill has gone viral on social media.
Sheetal's performance and viral moment at Paralympics
In the pre-quarterfinal round against Chile's Mariana Zuniga, Sheetal started with a perfect 10, leaving the crowd in awe. A video clip of the same has been doing the rounds across social media platforms. In the clip, her propensity to shoot arrows with her legs, jaw, and shoulders were on display. Despite a closely contested match that ended in a loss by just one point, Sheetal remained a crowd favorite throughout the competition.
Technique and international recognition
In a unique archery technique, Sheetal uses her right leg and shoulder to shoot the arrow. She rests the bow on the ground, loads it with her foot, and then clutches it with her leg. A strap around her upper body aids in releasing the arrow. Within 11 months of training, Sheetal won two gold medals and a silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games. She became the first and only international para-archery champion without upper limbs.
WATCH: Sheetal Devi hits bullseye
Sheetal won bronze medal with Rakesh Kumar
Despite her loss in the pre-quarterfinals, Sheetal won the bronze medal along with Rakesh Kumar in the mixed compound archery event. The duo beat Italy's Eleonara Sarti and Matteo Bonacina 156-155 after coming from behind. They shot four 10s out of four arrows in the final set. They were trailing 116-117 coming into the set. This marked India's second medal in archery at the Paralympic Games.
A look at Sheetal's journey
Sheetal began her journey at the age of 15, taking part at a youth event in Kishtwar. The Indian Army's Rashtriya Rifles unit noticed her potential and provided support for her education and medical needs. Sheetal then trained under coaches Abhilasha Chaudhary and Kuldeep Wadhwan. Despite initial plans for prosthetics being deemed unfeasible, Sheetal demonstrated an ability to climb trees using only her legs, which inspired confidence in her coaches to train her for archery.
