In a remarkable display of ambition and skill, India's para archery sensation Sheetal Devi has set her sights on a new frontier: competing and winning medals against able-bodied athletes. The 18-year-old, who was born without arms due to a condition called phocomelia, is already a Para World Champion and Paralympics medallist. Her next target is to qualify for and succeed at the Asian Games, a continental event for able-bodied sportspersons.
From Para Champion to Able-Bodied Contender
Sheetal Devi's 2025 has been phenomenal, crowned by winning the para World Championship title. Not one to rest on her laurels, she has now raised the bar for herself. Her immediate goal is the Phase I trials for the Asian Games, scheduled for Kolkata in the first week of January. This comes after she recently tested her skills at the able-bodied Compound Championship in Hyderabad.
"Even though I am a world champion, smaller targets are steps towards bigger ones," Sheetal told The Indian Express. At the Hyderabad nationals, which featured world champions like Ojas Deotale and Aditi Swami, she finished 12th in qualification before a first-round exit and secured a seventh place in the mixed team event. "I consider myself no less than anybody else," she asserted, viewing the competition as a crucial opportunity.
Overcoming Technical and Physical Hurdles
The journey is fraught with unique challenges. Sheetal shoots using her feet and a specialised release device. Recent rule changes in archery, which now allow only the front part of the toe to touch the bow (unlike the heel previously), have added a layer of difficulty. Adapting to this new technique led to a temporary dip in form, including a loss at the para nationals to Payal Nag post the Paris Games.
"People would say, 'Sheetal kar nahi payegi, Sheetal gir gai hai' (Sheetal will not be able to do it, Sheetal has fallen)," she recalled. Ignoring the naysayers, she persevered through pain and inaccurate shooting with her coach and physiotherapist Ayushi Tomer. Her resilience paid off. After initial qualification scores in the 668-678 range, she shot a personal best of 687 at the World Para Championships in Gwangju and an impressive 692 at the able-bodied event in Raipur.
The Gruelling Path Ahead
Her coach, Gaurav Sharma, outlines the formidable challenge. Competing in able-bodied events means longer competition days, higher arrow counts, and shorter recovery periods, increasing the risk of muscular fatigue. The training regimen has been intensified with a focus on strength and endurance for the shoulder, back, and core muscles, alongside regular physiotherapy.
"Her form at Hyderabad was encouraging and showed clear progress in terms of confidence, shot execution, and mental composure," Sharma noted. Technically, the focus is on maintaining stability and shot consistency under fatigue and pressure, improving her holding strength and aiming efficiency.
Sheetal's daily training in Patiala involves shooting 250-300 arrows. While her international shooting average has seen slight fluctuations, her win percentage and ability to perform under pressure—evident in her World Championship victory—remain strong. For Sheetal, the formula for success is simple and unwavering: "Mehnat, mehnat aur mehnat (Hard work, hard work, and hard work)." As she aims for the Asian Games, she continues to redefine the limits of possibility in sport.
