The selection of a para-athlete in the Indian team for an able-bodied international competition marks another historic feat for the Kishtwar-born world compound champion
Sheetal Devi (Pic: File Pic)
Star para-archer Sheetal Devi, the world compound champion who was born without arms, overcame another barrier on Thursday. She has been picked in the Indian able-bodied junior team for the upcoming Asia Cup Stage 3, which is scheduled in Jeddah.
The selection of a para-athlete in the Indian team for an able-bodied international competition marks another historic feat for the Kishtwar-born Sheetal.
Expressing her views on being selected for the team, the 18-year-old shared a post on her official social media handle in which the athlete said that she had dreamt about it in the initial phase of her career.
"When I started competing, I had a small dream -- to one day compete alongside the able-bodied. I didn't make it at first, but I kept going, learning from every setback. Today, that dream is one step closer," she wrote on social media after the announcement.
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Sheetal, who won the bronze medal in the mixed team compound event during the Paris Paralympics in 2024, drew inspiration from Turkey's Paris Paralympic champion Oznur Cure Girdi. The Turkish also competes in able-bodied competitions at the highest level.
Competing among more than 60 able-bodied archers from across the country under identical conditions, the 18-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir finished third overall in the rigorous four-day national selection trials held in Sonipat.
Sheetal scored 703 points in the qualification rounds, 352 in the first and 351 in the second, matching top qualifier Tejal Salve's total.
In the final rankings, Tejal (15.75 points) and Vaidehi Jadhav (15 points) took the top two spots, while Sheetal secured third place with 11.75 points, narrowly edging out Maharashtra's Dnyaneshwari Gadadhe by 0.25 points.
Trained at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra, Sheetal has already carved her name in history by becoming the first female armless world champion in para archery this year.
Teams:
Recurve: Men's: Rampal Choudhary (AAI), Rohit Kumar (Uttar Pradesh), Mayank Kumar (Haryana); Women: Kondapavuluri Yuktha Sri (Andhra Pradesh), Vaishnavi Kulkarni (Maharashtra), Kratika Bichpuriya (Madhya Pradesh).
Compound: Men: Pradhuman Yadav, Vasu Yadav, Devansh Singh (all Rajasthan); Women's: Tejal Salve, Vaidehi Jadhav (both Maharashtra), Sheetal Devi (Jammu and Kashmir).
(With PTI Inputs)
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