Sheetal Devi flaunts Asian medals in touching video and reveals Olympic dream

Thursday, October 22 will always be a day to remember for the ever-smiling Sheetal Devi. The pressure doesn’t seem to be a problem for her. Rather, it seems to be fuel for the fire that burns inside her every time she steps onto the field.

That was evident on Thursday when she staged a stunning comeback lead the Indian gold rush. Sheetal defended her individual gold at the Asian Para Games, beating Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah 142-139 in a thrilling final. The win marked her second straight gold and third medal at the ongoing games.

ASIAN PARA GAMES 2026: FULL REPORT

The 19-year-old returned to action less than two hours after winning the mixed team gold with Toman Kumar. Sheetal repeated her triumph over Ali from Hangzhou 2023, overcoming a four-point deficit after the opening two ends to turn the match around.

The Indian archer hit six tens, including three X’s, over the next two ends to take a two-point lead going into the final three arrows. She then held her nerve and scored 27 points with three 9s. Alim could only reply with 26, scoring 9, 8 and 9 as Sheetal sealed another memorable victory.

And her celebration had a heartwarming touch. Sheetal decided to show the world what she could do in Nagoya as she held the medals with her feet.

She posted an emotional message on her social media where she said her love for India and faith fueled her journey to the Asian Para Games.

“The Asian Para Games started with faith. Finished with 2 golds, 1 silver, 1 tied world record, 2 new world records and much more.”

“Through the highs, the pressure, every obstacle and journey held together by a love that never wavered.”

“And at the heart of it all? INDIA. Every time. Good night friends. Signing off with a full heart. It’s a wrap,” Sheetal said on Instagram.

ALL EYES ON THE OLYMPICS NOW

Sheetal has made no secret of her aspirations to participate in fitness competitions. He feels no less than any archer in the world. Now her dream is simple. Make it to the LA Olympics.

“Of course. I want to give my best in archery as well,” Sheetal told RevSportz after her win.

“I don’t feel like a para-archer when I’m competing and doing well,” she said. “If I give my best here, I believe that I will do well in the able-bodied competitions as well.”

Since her breakthrough in Hangzhou, where she won two gold medals and a silver, Sheetal has added a Paralympic medal to her collection and won the women’s compound world title in 2025. She also made history as the first female archer without both hands to become a world champion.

So when it comes to the 2028 Olympics, don’t expect anything to derail the intrepid archer from heading to LA and making the country proud.

– The end