India’s Aditi Swami was awarded the Breakthrough Archer of the Year 2023 by World Archery on Sunday.
At 17 years, Aditi became India’s first-ever world champion in archery and also won gold in the women’s team and individual bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
Indian national compound team coach Sergio Pagni won the ‘best coach of the year’ award. Under his guidance, India clean swept the medal tally at the Asian Games and won three world championship golds.
Earlier, Sheetal Devi was named the “Best Para Women Archer of the Year”. The Indian World No 1 in women’s open compound category made headlines when she shot her way to three gold medals at the Asian Para Games.
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The 16-year-old, suffering from a disorder causing underdeveloped limbs, learned to use a bow and arrow using her feet only two years ago.
Sheetal, who topped in her category with 230 points had jumped two placed to achieve this feat. She is world’s first-ever armless female archer to compete internationally and hails from Jammu and Kashmir.
She also won three medals including two gold and one silver at the Asian Para Championship.
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