Paris Paralympics: Archer Sheetal Devi Scores 703, Just Misses New World Record
India’s Sheetal Devi delivered a remarkable performance at the Paris Paralympics, shooting an incredible 703 out of 720 in the Women’s Individual Compound Open qualification round. However, it was Turkey’s Oznur Cure who stole the spotlight by scoring 704, setting a new World Record.
In an intense showdown, both archers surpassed the previous record of 698, with Cure edging out Devi in the final End of six arrows. Sheetal Devi, the only female armless archer at the Paralympics, displayed unwavering consistency, shooting three Ends of perfect 60s. The competition was fierce, and the result came down to a single arrow, showcasing the high stakes at this level of the sport.
Despite the narrow miss, Sheetal’s performance ensures her a strong seeding, avoiding an early clash with Cure in the knockout rounds. The 17-year-old prodigy from Jammu and Kashmir, born with Phocomelia, has already made her mark on the global stage, having won two gold medals and a silver at the Para Asian Games last year.
In other events, Indian archers continued to shine. Sarita secured 9th place in the ranking round, while Harvinder Singh, India’s first Paralympic medalist in archery, earned 9th seed in the men’s individual recurve. Rakesh’s solid performance in the men’s compound event helped India set a new World Record in mixed team qualification, combining his score of 696 with Sheetal’s 703.
The day also saw heartbreak in Para Taekwondo, as Aruna Tanwar suffered a devastating leg injury in her bout against Turkey’s Nurcihan Ekinci. Despite her valiant effort to continue, she was unable to secure a win.
In Para Badminton, medal contenders like Suhas Yathiraj and Palak Kohli cruised through their group-stage matches. The standout performances came from Sukant Kadam and Manisha Ramadass, who both staged impressive comebacks to advance in their respective categories.
As the Paris Paralympics continue, India’s athletes are off to a promising start, with many more opportunities ahead to make their mark on the global stage.