Sheetal Devi Makes History with Two Golds at Asian Para Games, India’s Total Reaches 99
In a remarkable display of talent and determination, teenager Sheetal Devi, an armless archer from India, achieved a historic feat by becoming the first Indian woman to secure two gold medals in a single edition of the Asian Para Games. On the penultimate day of the competition, India’s total medal tally reached an impressive 99.
India’s para-athletes earned 17 medals on that day, with seven of them being gold. The nation’s shuttlers made a significant contribution to this success, clinching eight medals, including four golds.
As the Hangzhou Asian Para Games approached its conclusion, India stood in sixth place in the overall standings, with an impressive haul of 25 gold, 29 silver, and 45 bronze medals. The countries leading the medal count were China, Japan, Iran, Korea, and Indonesia. India, however, occupied the fourth spot in terms of the total number of medals, an incredible achievement for the contingent.
The 2018 edition’s highest Asian Para Games medal tally of 72 medals (15 gold, 24 silver, 33 bronze) had already been surpassed by India on Thursday.
With just one day remaining in the competition, India was set to achieve the milestone of 100 medals, a testament to the exceptional performances by its para-athletes.
Sheetal Devi’s extraordinary journey saw her clinching the women’s individual compound gold and adding it to her gold medal in the compound mixed team event from the previous day. The 16-year-old archer, born with phocomelia syndrome, which left her with underdeveloped limbs, made history by becoming the first armless woman to win a Para World Archery Championships medal in July. In the final, she defeated Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah with a score of 144-142.
Sheetal’s remarkable achievements were accompanied by Ankur Dhama, who had already become the first Indian to win two gold medals in a single edition earlier in the week. Moreover, India’s para-shuttlers, Pramod Bhagat and Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj, secured gold medals, further adding to the nation’s growing tally.
In athletics, India continued to excel with Raman Sharma and Dharamraj Solairaj winning gold medals in the men’s 1500m T38 and long jump T64 events, setting new Asian and Games records. The para-athletes in javelin throw and discus throw, along with other events, also contributed to India’s success.
Re-reported from the article originally published in The Republic TV English
