Sheetal Devi celebrates her historic gold medal win at the 2023 World Para Archery Championship (Photo: Pinterest)
Sheetal Devi is 18 years old from Jammu and Kashmir has achieved name and fame internationally by winning a gold medal in the woman's individual compound section at the World Para Archery Championship 2023.
She beat world No. 1 Oznur Cure Girdi from Turkey with a final score of 146-143 and this victory brought a new highlight in her career where she emerged as one of the most promising para-archers on the global stage.
Sheetal Devi was born with no arms but never gave up keeping it as her limitation and inspired by a well-known archer Matt Stutzman, who shoots with feet, she has tailored her style of taking an aim and shooting by using feet and chin.
Her single-minded dedication and adaptability have catapulted her straight into the limelight as India's ace para-athlete and as of the middle of 2023, she was placed 18th in the world in the open category for compound women, which signifies her rise in sport stature.
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The 2023 World Para Archery Championship was a phenomenal event for Sheetal apart from the individual gold medal, she had two more bright spots for India. In mixed team compound along with her partner Toman Kumar, India won a close encounter with Great Britain for the bronze medal after a tight 152-149 scoreline.
In the women's compound open team event she teamed up with Sarita for silver, just falling short of the gold against Turkey. Her consistent performances across events showed her versatility as well as her competitive spirit.
Sheetal's archery technique is an epitome of innovation and hard work because she does not have hands, she tethered the bow with a custom foot setup and stabilizing her body against it for shooting with exceptional precision.
This innovation puts her in perfect equality with athletes from all over the world. Her equipment is carefully customized to suit her requirement with most of them helping to keep her balance and control while taking a near-perfect shot.
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The para-archery world, Sheetal is already starting to earn a meager income through her efforts. Her net worth is hovering between $5,000 around 3-4 lakhs INR with sources of income mainly from salaries and endorsements yet to be documented.
She raised in Jammu and Kashmir, but she reflects, through her journey not only excellence in sports but also the spirit of rising from adversities through sheer willpower and innovation.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects data available as of 2023; individual achievements and figures may change over time.
