Sheetal Devi wins women's compound gold at Para World Archery

Eighteen year old Indian armless archer Sheetal Devi won the women's compound individual gold at the Para World Archery Championships in Gwangju on Saturday, defeating Turkey's world number one Oznur Cure Girdi 146-143 in a rematch of the 2023 world final. The Jammu and Kashmir athlete, who shoots using her feet and chin, added the individual title to a mixed team bronze and a women's team silver to finish the day with three medals, organisers said.

The final was tightly contested from the start. The first end was tied at 29-all, but Sheetal opened a lead in the second by scoring three 10s to take the end 30-27. The third end was again level at 29-29. Girdi narrowed the margin in the fourth end when Sheetal scored 28, cutting the lead to two points at 116-114. Sheetal then closed out the match with a perfect final end of 30 to seal a 146-143 victory, official results showed. Earlier in the semifinals she defeated Great Britain’s Jodie Grinham 145-140 to reach the title match.

Sheetal’s triumph overturned the result of the 2023 Pilsen World Championships, where Girdi had beaten her 140-138. According to organisers, Sheetal became the first woman armless archer to win a world...