Good Day Readers, Today a great news has come stating that Sheetal Devi, a 16-year-old archer from India born without arms, captures attention by securing three medals at the Asian Para Games. Stay with this article to find out more about this news. At just 16 years old, Sheetal Devi, the sole female international archer in the world who shoots with her feet, has triumphed against the odds by clinching numerous gold medals for India at the Asian Para Games held in Hangzhou. In Hangzhou, the spotlight shone on 16-year-old Sheetal Devi, a remarkable Indian archer who uses her legs to aim and shoot arrows.
She showcased sensational performance, securing two gold medals and one silver at the Asian Para Games. As an armless archer, she holds the unique distinction of being the sole current female international athlete in the world to shoot with her feet. Sheetal’s accomplishments in the Chinese city added to India’s growing medal tally during Friday morning’s events. Sheetal Devi’s journey at the Asian Para Games included a gold medal in mixed team compound archery and a silver in women’s doubles compound archery. However, the 16-year-old faced a formidable challenge in the gold medal match of the individual women’s compound event against Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah.
Who Is Sheetal Devi?
Despite the pressure, Sheetal exhibited the composure of a seasoned archer, delivering six consecutive bullseyes in the last two rounds of the final. This remarkable performance allowed her to overcome her initial deficit and secure another gold medal for her country. Hailing from the remote village of Loi Dhar in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, Sheetal was born with Phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder leading to underdeveloped limbs. Her remarkable journey from the rugged mountainous terrain of her homeland to the global sporting stage stands as a testament to the unwavering strength of the human spirit. Sheetal’s odyssey commenced when she was discovered by the Indian Army during a youth sports event in Kishtwar in 2019.
Initially, the plan was to provide her with a prosthetic arm, but when that proved unfeasible, she was introduced to the world of archery. Despite initial challenges, Sheetal displayed incredible determination, dedicating months to practice until she could proficiently handle a bow. It was only in 2022 that Sheetal embraced archery, and a visit to the national championships played a pivotal role in transforming her perspective on para sports. “I encouraged her to visit the academy and observe other archers in action,” her coach, Kuldeep Kumar, shared with World Archery.
“She made swift progress. I took her to the national championships, where she was captivated by the presence of numerous para archers with diverse disabilities. This experience fueled her growing interest in the sport.” During her archery sessions, Sheetal is seated in a chair, utilizing her right leg to raise the bow and take aim. Simultaneously, she pulls the string back using her right shoulder. To release the arrow, a small device, personally crafted by her coach, is held in her mouth.
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