Aged just 17, para archer Sheetal Devi made the world stop and take notice as she stunned everyone with her performances at the Paris Paralympics. Though Sheetal bowed out of women’s individual compound open archery event on Saturday, her bullseye shot in the event has taken the sporting world by storm. One of the few archers in the world without arms, Sheetal started off the event with a bullseye shot, and the video of it has gone viral. The inspirational para-archer even drew a reaction from football club Barcelona star Joules Kounde on social media.
Sheetal entered the Paris Paralympics as an athlete who instantly drew the spotlight on her. She produced a stunning performance in the qualification of Women’s Individual Compound Archery by breaking the previous World Record of 698 by shooting 703 points out of a possible 720. But, up against Chile’s Zuniga Mariana, she lost the match 137-138. Such a narrow margin prevented her from going into the knockout stages, but her performance still managed to draw worldwide attention.
— Jules Kounde (@jkeey4) September 1, 2024
Even former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh lauded the stunning para archer.
Respect#SheetalDevi https://t.co/H66cFoxCix
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 1, 2024
Some others on social media termed Sheetal’s skill “beyond possible”.
This is beyond possible!
Sheetal Devi is poetry in motion.
Just 17 years old.
Born without arms.
A true hero.
Congrats India 🇮🇳pic.twitter.com/fnthR456uN
— Erik Solheim (@ErikSolheim) September 2, 2024
Sheetal had secured three medals at the Asian Para Games in Hangzhou last year, including two gold medals in individual and mixed team compound competition and a silver in doubles compound competition. Hence, she entered the Paris Paralympics as one of India’s brightest medal contenders. Sadly, that target couldn’t be fulfilled.
Sheetal started out on a positive note as she hit two X dropped one point to take the opening set 29-28.
But her 7-point in the second arrow gave the Chilean seasoned archer the much-needed opening as she won the second end 27-26 to make it level (55-all).
It was a neck-and-neck affair for the duo in the next eight arrows, before Mariana edged out Sheetal in the final arrow by shooting a 9 as the Paralympics debutant Sheetal slipped to the 8-ring to lose by one-point.
With PTI Inputs
