Para archer Sheetal Devi has become the first Indian para athlete to be selected for an able-bodied national team, after earning a place in the country’s junior squad for the upcoming Asia Cup Stage 3 in Jeddah. The 18-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir, who was born without arms, will represent India in the compound women’s category. The tournament marks the first instance of a para athlete being picked for an able-bodied international event in Indian archery.
Sheetal secured her place through performance at the national selection trials held in Sonipat. Competing alongside more than 60 able-bodied archers, she finished third overall with a total of 703 points, scoring 352 in the first round and 351 in the second. Tejal Salve topped the trials with 15.75 points, followed by Vaidehi Jadhav with 15, while Sheetal ended third with 11.75 points.
In a social media post following her selection, Sheetal wrote, “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,” Sheetal wrote on socials.
All you need to know about Sheetal Devi
Sheetal trains at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra. She won a bronze medal in the mixed team event at the 2024 Paris Paralympics and became the first female armless archer to claim a world championship title earlier this year. She has previously cited Turkey’s Paralympic champion Oznur Cure Girdi, who also competes in able-bodied tournaments, as a source of inspiration.
The Indian squad for the Asia Cup Stage 3 includes Rampal Choudhary, Rohit Kumar and Mayank Kumar in men’s recurve; Kondapavuluri Yuktha Sri, Vaishnavi Kulkarni and Kratika Bichpuriya in women’s recurve; Pradhuman Yadav, Vasu Yadav and Devansh Singh in men’s compound; and Tejal Salve, Vaidehi Jadhav and Sheetal Devi in women’s compound.
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