Sheetal Devi, a 17-year-old para-archer from Jammu and Kashmir, is one of India’s brightest medal prospects at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Despite being born with phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that left her without arms, Sheetal’s journey from a small village to the global stage of the Paralympics is a story of resilience, determination, and incredible talent.
Sheetal’s introduction to archery came in 2021, thanks to the Indian Army, which recognized her potential. Initially, she trained using prosthetic arms but found her inspiration in Matt Stutzman, an armless American archer who won silver at the 2012 London Paralympics. Emulating Stutzman’s technique, Sheetal began shooting with her feet, and her progress has been nothing short of remarkable.
Her breakthrough came in 2022 when she participated in the National Para-Archery Championships. This event marked a turning point in her career, setting her on a path to international success. In 2023, Sheetal secured a silver medal at the World Archery Championships, followed by a stellar performance at the Para-Asian Games in Hangzhou, where she won two gold medals and a silver. Her achievements catapulted her to the World No. 1 ranking in women’s para archery.
Recognizing her accomplishments, World Archery named Sheetal Devi the Best Women’s Para Archer of the Year in 2023. She heads to the Paris Paralympics as the world’s first and only active female archer without arms, further solidifying her place in the sport’s history.
Competing in the compound archery category, Sheetal recently clinched a bronze medal at the Para-Archery World Ranking Event in Czechia, narrowly missing the final in a shoot-off against Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham. Her personal best qualification score of 689 places her among the top contenders, though the world record of 698, held by reigning Paralympic champion Phoebe Paterson Pine, remains the mark to beat.
Sheetal will face tough competition in Paris, not only from Pine and Grinham but also from other strong contenders like Korea’s Jeong Jin Young, China’s Lin Yueshan, Indonesia’s Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly, and her fellow Indian archer Sarita Adhana. The event begins on August 29, and all eyes will be on Sheetal as she aims to bring home a Paralympic gold medal for India.
