Who is armless Indian para-athlete Sheetal Devi, who has entered the final in archery at Paris Paralympics 2024?
Seventeen-year-old Sheetal Devi was born with phocomelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that kept her limbs underdeveloped, and she shoots arrows with her legs. Devi became a sensation during last year's Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, where she became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals.
India got off to a great start at the Paralympics 2024, underway in the French capital Paris, with archer Sheetal Devi setting a new, albeit short-lived, world record on her way to the finals. On Thursday, Devi qualified directly for the round of 16 of Women's Individual Compound Archery after she finished second.
CREDIT: ANI
Sheetal Devi scores her personal best
She broke the previous world record of 698 by shooting 703 points out of a possible 720 in the qualification round of Women's Individual Compound Archery. However, this was overtaken by Turkey's Curuklu Girdi, who set a new world record of 704 points.
At 17, Sheetal Devi on her Paralympics Debut ?
¡ª The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) August 29, 2024
- Broke World & Personal Record
- Score brilliant 703/720
- Finished 2nd at Ranking Round
Sheetal Devi is the only Female International Archer in the World who shoots without arms.pic.twitter.com/8qS2THRxM0
Who is Sheetal Devi
Seventeen-year-old Devi was born with phocomelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that kept her limbs underdeveloped, and she shoots arrows with her legs.
A native of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir, life changed for Devi in 2019 when she attended a youth event where she was noticed by the Indian Army's Rashtriya Rifles unit, resulting in the army supporting her education and providing medical assistance.
CREDIT: AP
How Sheetal Devi took India by storm
Devi became a sensation during last year's Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, where she became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in a single edition of the Games. She also won a third medal¡ªa silver.
? Sheetal Devi along with Rakesh Kumar has broken World Record In Mixed Team of 1399 ??
¡ª The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) August 29, 2024
Congratulations to the Terrific Duo of India ???? pic.twitter.com/wervrbFYx9
She won gold medals in the women's individual compound as well as the mixed team event, and a silver in the women's doubles in Hangzhou.
Also read: Armless Archer Sheetal Devi Is Making India Proud At Asian Para Games 2023
Devi also became the first armless woman to win a Para World Archery Championships medal last year.
CREDIT: AP
She was awarded the Best Youth Athlete of the Year in 2023 by the Asian Paralympic Committee and also received the Arjuna Award, the second-highest sporting honour in India, the same year.
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Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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