Competing in a meet replete with archers without disabilities, Hangzhou Asian Para Games gold medallist Sheetal Devi narrowly missed a gold medal at the Khelo India NTPC national ranking meet for women at the DDA Yamuna Sports Complex, Surajmal Vihar. (More Sports News)
Sheetal finished behind Haryana’s Ekta Rani in the final shoot off in the sub-junior girls’ individual compound section. The teenager lost 138-140 but not before giving Ekta, a world youth champion, a big scare.
“This result will help me more going ahead in the international platforms and the Olympics,” said Jammu girl Sheetal, a strong medal contender at the Paris Paralympics in August.
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Sheetal's coach Abhilasha also felt the exposure will bode well ahead of the Paralympics. “Taking part in the national ranking tournament, alongside able-bodied competitors, is giving training and competition exposure which is much-needed prior to the Olympics.
“We have to go abroad for exposure but we are getting the same experience here itself. Domestic-level tournaments like these are helping the cause. This is helping Sheetal’s Olympic preparation,” Abhilasha said.
Sheetal, who was honoured with the Arjuna award earlier this year for her two gold and a silver medal-winning display in Hangzhou, was born with a rare condition called phocomelia which makes her the first and the only international para archery champion without arms.
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Though she won, Ekta said she was inspired by Sheetal. "I have faced-off with Sheetal previously so I had the match experience against her. We faced off in Patiala last December as well. It feels good to play against her because she is an armless archer and it gives a lot of motivation as well," Ekta added.
