Armless archer shoots target at Paris Paralympic Games

India’s Paralympic archer Sheetal Devi’s story was already a great one before she even arrived in Paris. The 17-year-old is one of four armless archers competing, and the only woman. Her star reached new heights when she hit the bull’s-eye in the opening round of her competition. A video of the moment quickly went viral.

Because Devi has no arms, she uses other parts of her body, namely her feet and mouth, to load and fire a bow and arrow. The young athlete was born in 2007 without fully formed arms due to a rare congenital disorder known as phocomelia, which results in underdeveloped limbs.

Despite her physical challenges, Devi is described as “athletically gifted”. As a child, she even enjoyed climbing trees and other activities that strengthened her upper body. In 2021, she discovered archery after an Army event. Her indomitable spirit soon saw her compete with the able-bodied archers at national competitions. In 2023, she won silver at the World Championships and two golds and one silver at the Asian Para Games, in addition to achieving the No. 1 position in the para compound archery rankings.

Devi’s perfect shot came during the 1/8 elimination round of the women’s individual compound open event. Unfortunately, despite her thrilling opening shot, she lost to Chile’s Mariana Zúñiga by a single point. The result was particularly heartbreaking considering she had finished second in the ranking round. Despite the setback, the Indian archer was given another chance at Paralympic glory and she took it, winning bronze in the mixed compound archery event together with Rakesh Kumar.

After receiving her medal, Devi took to social media to thank her mother, who has been key to her success. “In early 2022, as I began a new chapter, Maa bravely left the comfort of her village, family and friends and fearlessly embraced the unknown, overcoming language barriers and being by my side every step of the way. Her unwavering love and support mean the world to me,” Devi wrote. “She is my world.”

To keep up to date with this young athlete’s promising career, you can follow Devi on Instagram.

Sheetal Devi from India is one of four armless archers competing in the Paralympic Games in Paris. She is also the only woman.

Devi surprised the world when she hit the bullseye perfectly in the opening round of the women’s individual tournament.

Watch the exciting moment below:

Sheetal Devi: Instagram
h/t: (Today)

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