Sheetal Devi’s story is one of fierce grit and determination, but many are still unaware of her incredible journey about how she took up archery and emerged as the champion athlete.
The World No. 1 para archer, who bagged two gold medals and a silver at the recent Asian Para Games, is now focused on repeating her performance at next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris.
“Until a couple of years back I had not even stepped out of Jammu and Kashmir. It feels a little overwhelming when I go around representing India in different countries. I handle those moments calmly and ensure I hit the bullseye,” the archer commented said at a ‘Being You’ event.
“I have my eyes on the Paris Paralympics. I am putting all efforts to ensure that the Indian flag flies high on the podium and I bring back as many medals as possible,” she further added.
READ | Sheetal Devi becomes World No 1 in latest rankings
When Sheetal realised that the prosthetics don’t work for her, she and her family had left all hopes.
And what the 16-year-old has achieved in the last two years is just the beginning of a massive success journey that no one possibly ever imagined for her.
The para-archer’s journey took flight as she started to clinch victories in the national and international competitions, culminating in a stellar performance at the Asian Para Games 2023, where she secured two gold and one silver medal.
Already number one para archer in the world after terrific performances in recent tournaments, Sheetal aims to bring more laurels to the country.
Sheetal will continue to train for the forthcoming competitions at the Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board Sports Complex in Katra, who have constantly supported the para archer since she took up the sport. Keeping the funds going has always been a formidable task.
As she has already started preparing for the Paralympics, her focus now is following her training regime. “My present form, diet and focus align with what I need to do to train for the Paris Paralympics 2024. I will continue to improve my game and focus on acing it there,” she concluded.
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