Reigning world champion and world No. 1 Sheetal Devi has reached the women’s compound individual final at the 2026 Hyundai World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad after defeating compatriot Sarita 145-143 in an all-Indian semifinal on September 7.
The 19-year-old Indian archer will face Kazakhstan’s Aizada Seidan in the gold-medal match on September 9, with the result already assuring India of at least one medal in the event. Sarita will compete against China’s Wang Huiting for bronze. Devi had entered the knockout stage as the top qualifier after scoring 698, improving her own Asian record by one point. Her Ahmedabad campaign has also included a mixed-team world record with Rakesh Kumar, underlining her continued success at the highest level of para archery.
Final Awaits
Devi’s semifinal against Sarita was closely contested, but she held her nerve to finish 145-143 and book her place in the final. The victory guarantees her at least a silver medal and gives India another medal opportunity on home soil. Seidan, the second seed, secured the other final spot after defeating Wang Huiting 146-140 in the second semifinal.
The gold-medal contest is scheduled for September 9 at 3 pm at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad. Sarita and Wang are scheduled to meet for bronze at 2:40 pm.
The latest result builds on a dominant qualification performance from Devi. On September 6, she scored 698 to finish 10 points ahead of the field and improve her own Asian record by one point. Her qualification round included 25 tens and 26 Xs, highlighting the consistency behind her position as the world No. 1 in women’s compound para archery.
Record-Setting Run
Devi’s Ahmedabad campaign has also featured success outside the individual event. She partnered Rakesh Kumar in mixed-team qualification, with the pair scoring 1,400 to improve their own world record by one point.
The results also reflect the growing strength of India’s para-archery contingent. Devi is competing alongside established Indian archers such as Sarita and Rakesh Kumar, creating greater depth within the national programme rather than leaving India dependent on a single standout athlete.
Ahmedabad is itself significant as India’s first World Archery Para Series host. The September 5-9 event has brought 109 archers from 19 countries to the Sabarmati Riverfront. It gives India’s para archers the opportunity to compete against international opposition on home soil while preparing for the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.
J&K’s star para archer @ArcherSheetal, along with Rakesh Kumar, creates a new world record in the Compound Mixed Team qualification at World Archery Para Series–Amdavad 2026, scoring 1,400 points and surpassing their own 1,399-point record set at Paris 2024. Sheetal also advances… pic.twitter.com/3JG4gfaXWl
— Akashvani News Jammu (@radionews_jammu) September 7, 2026
World Champion
Devi’s latest run follows a remarkable rise through international para archery. In 2025, she became the first female armless archer to win a world championship title when she claimed gold in the women’s compound individual event at the World Archery Para Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. She defeated Türkiye’s Öznur Cüre Girdi in the final to secure the world title.
Her breakthrough at the continental level had come earlier at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, where she won gold in both the women’s compound individual event and the mixed-team compound event alongside Rakesh Kumar.
She also made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Devi set a world record of 703 points in the ranking round of the women’s compound open event, but was eliminated in the individual competition in the round of 16. She went on to win a bronze medal in the mixed-team compound open event with Rakesh Kumar.
Those performances have helped establish Devi as one of India’s leading para athletes. Her world title, Paralympic medal, Asian Games gold medals, records and current world No. 1 ranking now form the backdrop to her Ahmedabad campaign.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Sheetal Devi’s story is best understood through the lens of sporting excellence rather than simply as a story of overcoming disability. Her world title, Paralympic medal, Asian Games golds, world records and current world No. 1 ranking demonstrate sustained performance at the highest level.
Her all-Indian semifinal against Sarita also offers an important perspective on India’s para-sport development. Competition within the national contingent shows that more Indian athletes are challenging one another for places and medals on the biggest international stages. Hosting the Para Series in Ahmedabad further strengthens that ecosystem by bringing elite competition to India.
As Devi prepares for another major final, her achievements can help encourage a broader understanding of para sport: not merely as a source of inspiration, but as elite competition demanding skill, discipline, preparation and resilience. With a gold medal now within reach on home soil, what more can India do to ensure athletes like Devi receive the recognition and support their performances deserve?
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