New Delhi, April 9 (IANS) World Archery Para Champion and world number one Sheetal Devi is not looking at LA 2028 Paralympics just yet, as she remains rooted in the present, focusing on a step-by-step ascent towards the Para Asian Games later this year in Japan before looking towards the larger goal of the Paralympics.
Last month, Sheetal took the honour of the para-archer of the year at the World Archery Awards after a breakthrough 2025 season that included a world title in Gwangju.
“I don’t think too far ahead, like jumping straight to the Paralympics; I prefer taking it step by step,” Sheetal said in a press conference organised by Sports Authority of India (SAI). “Even in the World Series, my focus was simply on doing my best. The Paralympics will come later; since the Asian Games are happening first, that is where my main focus lies,’ she added.
Sheetal took silver at the World Archery Para Series event, which was the first outdoor international of 2026 as her compatriot Payal Nag, a quadruple amputee, clinched the gold with 139-136 in the final.
When asked about her preparation for the Para Asian Games in Japan, she replied, “So far, the training is going well”, while coach Gaurav Sharma noted, “The preparations are going good. She hasn’t played continuously this year so far, but the performance has remained strong. Coming in first or second is just a part of the game. It is great that the gold medal went to India. Payal considers Sheetal her idol, so losing to her is also a matter of pride since it was to a fellow Indian compatriot.”
He continued, “It is a good thing that, ahead of the Asian Games, we’ve realised that our competition within India is also very high. Often, athletes feel that their only competition is from foreigners, but it is positive that we are finding such tough competition right here in India. This will only increase our focus for the Asian Games.”
Elaborating more about the training process, coach Gaurav added, they are currently stationed in Patiala through May and planning a next phase of their preparation in the United States with support from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
“We are training in Patiala until May. After May, we plan to train in the USA with the support of TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) and SAI (Sports Authority of India). There is currently a bit of a visa issue, which will hopefully be sorted out. If the USA plan doesn’t work out, we will continue training in Patiala.”
“While there are good archers to train with in India as well, training abroad provides great exposure and helps us understand international standards. Preparations are currently aligned with Japan’s timing, and we will gradually shift our schedule accordingly,” he explained.
Asked about her, how does having a teammate who uses a different shooting style push you to innovate your own game, Sheetal told IANS, “Our match was absolutely wonderful. It is a matter of pride that India won both medals. It is very heartening to see that many para-archers from India are going abroad to compete and are bringing back so many medals.”
Coach Gaurav added, “Payal’s shooting style is very different because she is a quadruple amputee, and since Sheetal is missing two limbs, their approaches will automatically differ. Payal has a different shooting mechanism and her own distinct style, so their methods will always remain different.”
–IANS
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