Gwangju (South Korea), Sep 27 (KNS): India’s 18-year-old armless archer Sheetal Devi created history by winning the women’s compound individual gold at the Para World Archery Championship on Saturday.
Sheetal, who shoots using her feet and chin, defeated world No.1 Oznur Cure Girdi of Turkiye 146-143 in a tense final. This was her third medal of the tournament.
Earlier, she had claimed a mixed team bronze with Toman Kumar after beating Great Britain 152-149, and a silver in the compound women’s open team event with Sarita, where they lost to Turkey in the final.
In the gold medal match, Sheetal showed remarkable composure.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelAfter tying the first end 29-29, she fired three perfect 10s in the second end to take the lead. She maintained her advantage till the last round, sealing victory with another flawless 30.
The Jammu and Kashmir archer had earlier beaten Britain’s Jodie Grinham 145-140 in the semifinals. The final was also a sweet revenge for Sheetal, who had lost to Girdi in the 2023 World Championship final.
With this win, Sheetal Devi has underlined her place among the best in the world and brought pride to India with her extraordinary achievement.