Sheetal Devi’s remarkable performance at the World Archery Para Series 2026 in Ahmedabad has earned her a gold medal in the women’s compound event. India concluded the competition with a total medal tally of 15, which included four gold, three silver, and eight bronze medals. In a thrilling gold medal match against Kazakhstan’s Aizada Seidan, the contest ended in a tie at 144-144, leading to a shoot-off. Sheetal secured her victory by scoring a 10, while Seidan scored a 9, marking a significant achievement for the 19-year-old athlete.

Record-Breaking Performances by Indian Archers

Sheetal Devi’s performance did not stop at the individual event. She also showcased her skills in the mixed team event alongside Rakesh Kumar, where they set a new world record. The duo scored 1,400 points in the compound mixed team qualification, surpassing their previous record by one point. This achievement demonstrates India’s growing prowess in para archery, with Sheetal contributing 698 points and Rakesh adding 702 points to the total.

For the elimination rounds, Toman Kumar replaced Rakesh as Sheetal’s new partner. Together, they earned a bronze medal by defeating Iraq decisively with a score of 157-145. India narrowly missed an opportunity to compete for the gold medal after a close tie against China resulted in a shoot-off.

In addition to these accomplishments, Bhawna and Harvinder Singh added to India’s gold medal count by winning the recurve mixed team event. The Indian pair convincingly beat China’s Liang Qiurong and Xia Lei, winning every set in scores of 35-31, 36-33, and 34-32. Bhawna also secured a bronze medal in the women’s individual recurve event.

Overall Indian Success at the Event

The final days of the competition showcased India’s talent, particularly highlighted by Toman Kumar’s bronze medal in the men’s individual compound event. He achieved a score of 143-138 against Iraq’s Abbas Kadhim after previously facing a narrow defeat against Ken Swagumilang from Indonesia. On the preceding day, Toman Kumar and Shyam Sunder Swami celebrated victory by clinching gold in the compound men’s doubles event by defeating Iraq with a score of 152-139. Meanwhile, Harvinder Singh and Vijay Sundi emerged victorious in the recurve men’s doubles event, also earning gold by beating Slovakia 6-2.

Additions to India’s medal haul included silver medals for Bhawna and Pooja in the recurve women’s doubles, and for Swati Chaudhary and Adil Mohamed Nazir Ansari in the W1 mixed team event. The W1 category accommodates athletes with significant physical impairments, allowing them to compete from wheelchairs with modified equipment.

India’s overall performance was bolstered by additional medals in various categories. The country also earned bronze in both W1 doubles events, with Adil Mohamed Nazir Ansari and Naveen Dalal finishing third in the men’s category, while Swati Chaudhary and Vasundhra Teotia earned bronze in the women’s category. Furthermore, Swati claimed an additional bronze in the individual W1 women’s competition, and Yugal Garg won a bronze in the visually impaired category.

Host Nation’s Historic Achievement

The World Archery Para Series 2026, held in Ahmedabad from September 5 to 9, marked India’s inaugural hosting of such a prestigious event. This achievement demonstrates India’s commitment to promoting para sports and highlights the burgeoning talent within the country.

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