Sheetal Devi Wins Gold at World Archery Para Series 2026
Sheetal Devi clinched a dramatic shoot-off gold in the para compound women's individual event, spearheading India's impressive six-medal triumph at the World Archery Para Series Stage III in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Ahmedabad witnessed a spectacular display of skill and resilience on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, as India's para archers wrapped up their campaign at the World Archery Para Series Stage III with an impressive tally of two gold and four bronze medals. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly reigning world champion Sheetal Devi's dramatic victory in the para compound women’s individual final, secured after a tense shoot-off. India at Asian Games 2026 Aichi–Nagoya: List of Indian Participants and Sports They Will Take Part In.
Sheetal Devi Wins Gold
Sheetal Devi's Golden Shoot-Off
World No. 1 Sheetal Devi faced off against Kazakhstan’s Aizada Seidan in a gripping final that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. The contest was neck and neck from the outset, with both archers firing perfect 30s in their opening ends, and remaining tied at 59 points after the second. Aizada managed to gain a slender one-point lead in the third end, outscoring Sheetal 28 to 27, a lead she maintained after the fourth end which finished 29-29.
However, Sheetal Devi, known for her composure under pressure, delivered a stunning performance in the decisive fifth end, scoring 29 points while Aizada managed 28, thus tying the scores at 144-144 and forcing a nail-biting shoot-off. With the gold medal hanging in the balance, Sheetal unleashed a perfect 10, leaving Aizada to settle for a nine, and securing a dramatic victory for India.
Mixed Team Triumphs and Individual Bronzes
Sheetal Devi’s individual gold was her second medal of the event, having earlier secured a bronze in the compound mixed team event alongside Toman Kumar. The Indian duo showcased their prowess by defeating Iraq’s Sara Al Hamid and Abbas Kadim with a commanding score of 157-145 in their bronze-medal match, scoring 39 in each of the first three ends and a perfect 40 in the last.
The gold medal rush for India also saw Paralympics champion Harvinder Singh team up with Bhawna to dominate the para recurve mixed team event. They delivered a flawless performance against China's Liang Qiurong and Xia Lei in the final, securing a convincing 6-0 victory with set scores of 35-31, 36-33, and 34-32.
Bhawna further added to her personal medal count by clinching another bronze in the all-Indian para recurve women's individual playoff, where she triumphed over compatriot Rajshree Rathod with a decisive 6-0 win. Cricket at Asian Games 2026 Women's Competition Full Schedule in IST.
India's medal haul was rounded off with two more bronze medals. Sarita added to the para compound women’s individual tally, narrowly beating China’s Wang Huiting 141-140 in a fiercely contested match. Toman Kumar also secured his second medal of the series, earning a bronze in the para compound men’s individual event by defeating Iraq’s Abbas Kadhim 143-138.
India's strong performance at the World Archery Para Series Stage III underscores the nation's growing prominence in para-sports, with athletes demonstrating exceptional talent and mental fortitude on the international stage.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 09, 2026 07:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).