Who is Sheetal Devi? India's Youngest Ever Para-Athlete Competing at Paralympics

After relative success in the Paris Olympics 2024, all attention is now on the para-athletes to attain glory in the French capital. The objective in front of the Indian athletes would be to go beyond Tokyo's mark of 19 medals, and disciplines like Athletics, Shooting, Canoe, Archery, etc. would be the biggest medal hopefuls. While the champions are emerging on the big stage in Paris, their inspiring stories are also getting highlighted.

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Who is Sheetal Devi?

After the heroics in the Para World Championship, where she became the first armless woman to win a Para World Archery Championships medal, the 17-year-old wonder girl from India combined with her teammate, Sarita, and clinched the Silver medal in women's doubles compound event at the Asian Para Games on Wednesday.

As para-athletes face the daunting task of facing all the odds, Sheetal fought her battle when she was just an infant. Sheetal was diagnosed with phocomelia syndrome when she was born, a condition under which limbs remain undeveloped.

Sheetal has come a long way and has beaten her disability. She took the sport just two years ago and made a thumping mark in a short span of time. She is going strong and will have her sights set on a podium finish at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

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Sheetal Devi’s medals and achievements

• World Archery Para Championships 2023 silver medal - women’s individual compound open archery
• Asian Para Games 2023 gold medal - women’s individual compound open archery
• Asian Para Games 2023 gold medal - mixed doubles compound open archery
• Asian Para Games 2023 silver medal - women’s doubles compound open archery
• World No. 1 women’s compound para archer in the open category in 2023
• Khelo India Para Games 2023 gold medal - women’s individual compound open archery
• Arjuna Award 2023
• Best Youth Athlete of the Year 2023 by the Asian Paralympic Committee
• Best Women Para Archer of the Year 2023 by World Archery

Sheetal Devi now a worldwide star at Paralympics 2024, India's star called 'Truly Incredible'

With the performance she has put it, Sheetal Devi has received global recognition.

Sheetal Devi had sights on the podium finish, but unfortunately she got eliminated in the quarterfinal of the women's archery individual event.