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Indian sensation Sheetal Devi secures individual compound archery gold
Indian para-archer Sheetal Devi claimed a spectacular victory in the women's compound para-archery individual event on Thursday. Competing at the ongoing Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, she defeated Singapore's Nur Alim Syahidah with a close score of 142-139. This remarkable win adds to her impressive performance throughout the tournament. Scores remained completely tied at 95-95 after both competitors shot their first ten arrows. From that crucial moment, Sheetal began pulling ahead with remarkable precision. During her final five shots, she landed two perfect tens and three nines. Her opponent managed four nines and an eight, resulting in a thrilling three-point victory for the Indian champion. Para-archery has grown significantly in global recognition over recent years, giving incredible athletes like Sheetal a platform to showcase their true potential on the world stage. Historic Double Gold Performance Earlier in the competition, Sheetal partnered with Toman Kumar to capture the compound mixed team gold medal. They defeated the Indonesian pair of Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang 151-148. This victory delivered India's very first archery gold of the 2026 edition. The dynamic duo established a narrow 38-37 lead initially and expanded it steadily. Even when the Indonesian team fought back, Sheetal and Toman finished strong with a final round score of 38 to seal the match.
Expanding Medal Collection Before her golden run, Sheetal started her tournament campaign by securing a silver medal in the women's compound doubles. Playing alongside Payal Nag, they faced a tough final match against the Chinese duo of Xueqing Xu and Jing Zhao. Following a hard-fought battle, the Indian team finished with a score of 141-150. In a separate exciting event, Bhavina Patel and Shubham Wadhwa earned a bronze medal in para table-tennis. They swept their Philippines opponents 3-0 in the mixed doubles class XD7 competition. These outstanding athletic achievements have boosted India's overall medal count to 73, which includes 17 gold, 22 silver, and 34 bronze medals.
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