- Sheetal Devi is the only woman participating in the event without arms.
- The Indian athlete claimed bronze in the mixed competition after an impressive display
- Her fascinating technique makes her use both legs to lift and stabilize the bow.
Paralympic archer Sheetal Devi has become the breakout star of this summer’s Games after defying the odds by using only her feet to achieve a perfect shot on target and seal bronze in Paris.
The Indian athlete, the only participant in the event without arms, presents a fascinating and inspiring technique in a sport that requires the highest levels of precision and concentration.
He first raises the arrow into place using his right foot before lifting the bow, which was balanced on his left knee, with the same foot.
By then the instrument is aligned with her face and Devi, closing her left eye in an expression of pure concentration, works to align the projectile perfectly with the target, which stands a whopping 70 metres away.
A moment’s pause, an inhalation, and then, a fraction of a second later, a sharp release causes the arrow to sink inevitably into the board.
Paralympic archer Sheetal Devi has become the breakout star of this summer’s Games after defying the odds by using only her feet to nail a perfect shot and seal bronze in Paris.
He first raises the arrow into place using his right foot before raising the bow, which has been balancing on his left knee, with the same foot.
She has now surpassed her previous impressive feats with a historic bronze in Paris with teammate Rakesh Kumar (left) in the mixed event.
The only person in the arena not taken aback by this gruelling and seemingly precarious display is Devi, who has experienced a dramatic rise within her sport over the course of the past 18 months culminating in Paralympic glory.
The Indian athlete secured silver at the World Para Archery Championships last year and also bagged two golds and a silver at the 2023 Asian Para Games.
But now he has surpassed all those impressive feats with a historic bronze in Paris with teammate Rakesh Kumar in the mixed event.
What makes it even more impressive is the fact that he is only 17 years old and is participating in his first Games.
Understandably, her placement on the podium has drawn praise from high places, including Indian President Droupadi Murmu, who conveyed to Devi his “heartiest congratulations”.
“Their joint success is an inspiring example of commitment and teamwork. They are both inspiring athletes from whom our youth can learn a lot,” he posted on social media.
Leading Indian businessman Anand Mahindra added: ‘Extraordinary courage, commitment and never-say-die spirit are not linked to medals…
‘Sheetal Devi, you are a beacon of inspiration for the country and the entire world.’
Meanwhile, Welsh footballer Hal Robson-Kanu posted: ‘Sheetal Devi hit the perfect target for Team India at the Paralympics.
‘She is the first female archer without upper limbs to win an international title.
‘Greatness does not consist in the absence of obstacles, but in the ability to overcome them.’
The archer was born with phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that results in underdeveloped limbs, causing the arms to not fully form.
The Indian athlete climbed trees as a child to improve her upper body strength, Olympics.com reports, and this is certainly evident during the effective maneuver she uses to shoot her arrows.
A moment’s pause, an inhalation, and then, a fraction of a second later, a sharp release causes the arrow to sink inevitably into the board.
What makes it even more impressive is the fact that he is only 17 years old and participating in his first Games.
The archer was born with phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that causes underdevelopment of the limbs.
Speaking ahead of the Games, she said: “Every time I see the medals I’ve won, I feel inspired to win more. This is just the beginning.”
Two men without arms are competing in this summer’s Paralympic archery, but Devi is the only woman with such a condition and, before her bronze in the mixed event, she impressed in the individual event by nailing a perfect shot down the centre.
The clip of the remarkable feat went viral and received more than 60 million views, but it only took a couple of days for the achievement to be surpassed after his magnificent medal on Monday.