India’s Golden Girl: Sheetal Devi Becomes World Champion After Winning Para Archery Gold

In a moment that will be etched in Indian para-sport history, Sheetal Devi delivered a flawless final three arrows to clinch the women’s compound individual gold at the Para World Archery Championships in Gwangju. Her final score of 146–143 over Türkiye’s world no. 1 Oznur Cure Girdi sealed the victory. The win is poignant not merely for its result, but for its symbolic weight: Sheetal becomes the first female armless archer to win a world championship gold in this category—a breakthrough in a sport that demands precision, nerve, and technique. The Nerve-Jangling FinaleThe match was tense, teetering on a knife-edge. After the opening end tied at 29–29, Sheetal blazed ahead with three 10s in the second to take a 30–27 lead. The third end was again tied (29–29), and despite a slight slip in the fourth—where she scored 28—the Indian held a slender 116–114 advantage. Then came the moment of reckoning. Under pressure, Sheetal delivered three perfect arrows in the final end (30 points), leaving no doubt. The manner of her finish—calm, composed, and confident—stood in stark contrast to the high stakes.For context, she had lost narrowly to the same opponent, Girdi, at the 2023 Pilsen World Championships (140–138). This time, she turned the tables.India’s Gold Brigade in GwangjuSheetal’s gold came on a day of celebrations for India: compatriot Toman Kumar claimed the men’s compound title, and India secured a total of five medals at the tournament. In the mixed team event, Sheetal had earlier won a bronze, teaming up with Toman Kumar to defeat the British pair Jodie Grinham and Nathan MacQueen (152–149).In the women’s team event, Sheetal along with Sarita earned a silver, falling short in the final 148–152 to the Turkish duo.The men’s team saw heartbreak when Rakesh Kumar, the Paris Paralympics bronze medallist, withdrew mid-match due to a technical malfunction in his bow. His exit paved the way for Toman Kumar’s path to gold. The Archer & Her MindsetWhen asked about her journey, Sheetal offered a glimpse into her mindset:“I had a dream I would become world champion. It made me want to work. I worked and worked … The pressure wasn’t great. I controlled myself … My heartbeat wasn’t so fast. … It felt amazing just to be in the finals again.” Her technique—shooting via leg support—echoes that of the famous “armless archer,” Matt Stutzman. But while technique draws parallels, the spirit and execution are uniquely hers. At 18, she is already a rising force in the global para-archery scene.