Full Breakdown
Sheetal Devi’s Double Gold Triumph at the 2026 Asian Para Games
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Event Summary
On October 22, 2026, Indian para-archer Sheetal Devi secured two gold medals in a single day at the Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan. She partnered with Toman Kumar to win the compound mixed-team final, defeating Indonesia’s Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang 151-148. Hours later she captured the women’s individual compound title, beating Singapore’s Nur Alim Syahidah 142-139. In the decisive end she posted three 9s for 27 points, while Alim managed 26 (9-8-9).
Background & Context
Devi, a 19-year-old armless archer from Jammu and Kashmir, entered the Games as the reigning champion, having defended the individual crown at the 2023 Asian Para Games. She also holds a bronze from the 2024 Paris Paralympics mixed-team event and was world number 1 entering Nagoya. Prior to the competition she equalled the women’s individual compound world record with a 704-point qualification score and, with Kumar, set a new mixed-team world record of 1 402 points in qualification.
Data & Statistics
- Mixed-team final: 151-148 over Indonesia.
- Individual final: 142-139 over Singapore.
- Qualification round: 704/720 (world-record tie).
- Knock-out stage: 102 tens (55 inner tens); only two eights, one in the final.
- Pre-quarterfinal: 149-134 win over Hong Kong’s Chan Yuen Wah, surpassing the previous world record of 148.
- Wind conditions: breezy, with arrows aimed “off towards 9 o’clock” to counter cross-winds.
Official Statements & Responses
National coach Gaurav Sharma highlighted Devi’s preparation for high-pressure moments, noting that training emphasizes “inner tens” to ensure precision when it matters most. He explained that adjustments to grip, core strength, and back-neck positioning were made to reduce stress on Devi’s back ahead of the upcoming LA Olympics, where compound mixed-team archery will debut. Sharma also stressed the importance of competing against able-bodied archers to sharpen her technique.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We had been making sure that Sheetal competes with able-bodied quality archers during practice. Her belief has always been to think like an able-bodied archer. Training as well as competing in trials as well as NRT competitions reinforces that belief,” — Sharma.
- “My message to her after every match is har jeet se sikhna aur har haar se bhi sikhna hai (Learn from every win and learn from every loss),” — Gaurav Sharma.
Impact and Significance
Devi’s double-gold performance lifted India’s medal tally to 73 (17 gold, 22 silver, 34 bronze) and reinforced her status as a leading para-sport figure. The victories demonstrate the effectiveness of her mixed training regimen and underscore India’s growing depth in para-archery, contributing to the country’s fifth-place standing on the overall Games leaderboard.
What’s Next
With the LA Olympics slated to feature compound mixed-team archery for the first time, Devi and Kumar are targeting qualification. Sharma indicated the pair will continue refining grip, core stability, and back-neck alignment in the coming months. Devi is also expected to compete in upcoming national trials and international meets to maintain her world-number-one ranking.