18-year-old Armless Archer, Sheetal Devi Crowned World Champion, Wins Historic Gold at Para World Archery Championships
18-year-old Armless Archer, Sheetal Devi Crowned World Champion, Wins Historic Gold at Para World Archery Championships
The 18-year-old armless archer from Jammu and Kashmir defeats Turkiye’s top-ranked Oznur Cure Girdi, marking a milestone for Indian para-archery.
India’s Sheetal Devi etched her name in history on Saturday, September 27, by clinching gold in the women’s compound individual event at the Para World Archery Championships in Gwangju. The 18-year-old archer, who was born without arms and shoots using her feet and shoulders, overcame Turkiye’s world No. 1 Oznur Cure Girdi 146-143 in a gripping final.
The victory capped a remarkable campaign for Sheetal, who secured three medals at the tournament. She had earlier bagged a mixed team bronze with Toman Kumar, beating Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen 152-149, and a women’s open team silver with Sarita after falling to Turkiye in the final.
The individual final was tense from the start. After a tied opening round at 29-29, Sheetal surged ahead with three consecutive 10s to win the second end 30-27. Though the third end was again tied at 29-29 and she narrowly lost the fourth by a single point, Sheetal maintained a 116-114 advantage. In the decisive final end, she sealed her triumph with a flawless 30.
Her semifinal win against Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham (145-140) had already demonstrated her composure under pressure. The gold medal match also served as a rematch of the 2023 Pilsen World Championships, where Girdi had edged her out 140-138. This time, Sheetal turned the tables in emphatic fashion.
Although the women’s team final ended in disappointment, with the Indian duo conceding to Turkiye 148-152, Sheetal’s individual brilliance stood out. Analysts hailed her consistency, mental resilience, and technical precision as a breakthrough moment for Indian para-archery on the world stage.
With this gold, Sheetal Devi has established herself not just as one of India’s brightest para-athletes, but also as an inspiration worldwide, proving that limitations can be transformed into extraordinary achievements.
