India’s rising para archery star Sheetal Devi secured her first-ever individual gold medal at the World Archery Para Championships 2025, defeating Turkiye’s Oznur Cure Girdi in a nail-biting Women’s Compound Open final with a score of 146–143.
The match, held in Gwangju, saw Sheetal take control in the second round, firing three perfect 10s to gain an early lead. Despite a brief lapse in the fourth end, she maintained composure and sealed the victory with a flawless final round. Her opponent, a three-time World Champion and 2024 Paralympic gold medallist, was unable to recover from Sheetal’s precision and consistency.
This gold marks Sheetal’s third medal of the day, following a silver in the women’s compound team event with Sarita and a bronze in the mixed team event alongside Toman Kumar. Her performance has not only elevated India’s medal tally but also cemented her status as one of the brightest talents in para archery.
Earlier in the day, India’s Shyam Sunder Swami narrowly missed out on a medal, losing the men’s compound bronze match to Britain’s Nathan MacQueen.
The Indian contingent’s success at the championships reflects the growing strength of para sports in the country and the emergence of young athletes like Sheetal Devi on the global stage.
