Asian Para Games: Archer Sheetal Devi becomes first Indian woman to win two golds, medal rush continues

Suyash Jadhav - Men’s 50m Butterfly S7 - BronzeArmless archer Sheetal Devi became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in a single edition of the Asian Para Games by claiming the top spot in women’s individual compound event in Hangzhou on Friday (27 October). It is a hat-trick of medals for the 16-year-old who holds her bow with her foot. Sheetal had earlier won a gold medal in the compound mixed team event and women’s doubles silver. Discovered at a military camp in a remote part of Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir and adopted by the Indian Army in her childhood, Sheetal, who became the first armless woman to win a Para World Archery Championships medal in July, beat Singapore’s Alim Nur Syahidah 144-142 in the gold medal match. Ankur Dhama had become the first Indian to win two gold medals in a single edition earlier this week. Meanwhile, India’s medal rush at the Asian Para Games continued with 17 medals on the third day to inflate the tally to 99 medals. India have won 25 gold, 29 silver and 45 bronze medals thus far at the Games in China. On Friday, India’s medals in archery came courtesy Sarita (bronze in women’s individual compound archery), Sheetal (gold in women’s individual compound archery), Rakesh Kumar (silver in men’s individual compound archery), Pooja (bronze in women’s individual recurve). In athletics they came via Pradeep Kumar and Laxit (silver and bronze in men’s javelin throw F54), Lakshmi (bronze in Women’s Discus Throw F37/38), Raman Sharma (gold in Men’s 1500m T38), Manu (bronze in Men’s Shot Put F37) and Dharmaraj Solairaj (gold in Men’s Long Jump T64). In badminton the medals came from Krishna Nagar (silver in Badminton Men’s Singles SH6), Yathiraj Lalinakere (gold in Badminton Men’s Singles SL4), Sukant Kadam (bronze in Badminton Men’s Singles SL4), Manasi Joshi and Thulasimathi Murugesan (silver in Women’s Doubles SL3-SU5), Mandeep Kaur and Manisha Ramadass (bronze in Women’s Doubles SL3-SU5), Pramod Bhagat (gold in Men’s Singles SL3), Nitesh Kumar (silver in Men’s Singles SL3), Thulasimathi Murugesan (gold in Women’s Singles SU5), Manisha Ramadass (bronze in Women’s Singles SU5), Nitesh Kumar and Tarun (gold in Men’s Doubles SL3-SL4), Pramod Bhagat and Sukant Kadam (bronze in Men’s Doubles SL3-SL4), Chirag Baretha and Raj Kumar (silver in Men’s Doubles SU5). India’s last medal of the day came from the swimming pool where Suyash Jadhav won a bronze in Men’s 50m Butterfly S7 event. Reigning Paralympic badminton champion shuttler Bhagat outplayed compatriot Nitesh 22-20, 21-19 in the final. “Firstly a huge congratulations to Nitesh Kumar, I think he played the game of his life, but unfortunately ended up with a silver, He is a brilliant player and pushes me till the edge which he did today. said Bhagat. “Somehow even when I was trailing, I had a belief that I would make a comeback and could win, the thought of losing never occurred to me. I focused on 1 point at a time and made it possible,” he added. (with inputs from PTI)