Sheetal Devi Creates History at Para Asian Games, Equals World Record in Archery Qualification

Indian para-archer Sheetal Devi delivered a historic performance on Monday, October 19, by scoring 704 out of a possible 720 points in the women’s compound archery qualification round at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games in Japan. The 19-year-old equalled the reported world record and established a new Asian record, giving India a strong start in the archery competition.

Sheetal, who was born without arms and shoots using her feet and upper body, showcased remarkable accuracy across all 72 arrows. Her performance surpassed the previous Asian record of 698 points by six points and bettered her own Asian Para Games record of 680, set at Hangzhou in 2023.

Sheetal Devi Hits 57 Perfect 10s in Record-Equalling Performance

Sheetal scored 704 points from 72 arrows, hitting the 10-point scoring ring 57 times. Of those, 32 arrows landed in the innermost scoring zone, known as the X-ring.

Her score equalled the world-record mark associated with Türkiye’s Öznur Girdi, formerly reported under the name Öznur Cüre. Sheetal’s 704-point total also set a new Asian record, underlining her status as one of the leading competitors in women’s compound para-archery.

The Indian archer had already demonstrated her outstanding form earlier in 2026, recording 698 points at a World Archery Para Series event. Her latest performance improved that mark by six points.

Sheetal is a Paris 2024 Paralympic bronze medallist and one of India’s leading para-archery athletes. Her latest achievement has strengthened expectations ahead of the elimination rounds.

Payal Nag Scores 675 Points on Asian Para Games Debut

India also received an encouraging performance from Payal Nag, who scored 675 points in the women’s compound qualification round to finish fifth in the reported standings.

The archer from Odisha was making her Asian Para Games debut. Payal, who was born without all four limbs, attracted international attention in April 2026 after winning gold at the World Archery Para Series in Bangkok, where she defeated Sheetal on her way to the title.

Both Indian archers have now positioned themselves well for the individual competition, while their combined performance has put India in a strong position in the team event.

India Tops Women’s Compound Team Qualification With 1,379 Points

Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag combined for a total of 1,379 points to finish first in the women’s compound team qualification standings. China placed second with 1,338 points, leaving India 41 points ahead.

The result secured India a direct place in the semifinals, according to event reports. The Indian pair are set to face the winners of the quarterfinal between Thailand and Kazakhstan.

India’s strong qualification performance provides a promising platform as the team targets medals in the individual and team events. Sheetal’s record-equalling score and Payal’s impressive debut have given the Indian contingent further momentum at the Games.

Sheetal Devi’s Record Adds to India’s Para-Archery Hopes

Sheetal’s latest achievement is significant on three levels: she equalled the reported world record, raised the Asian record to 704 points and surpassed her previous Asian Para Games qualification score.

With Payal also among the leading qualifiers, India has demonstrated depth in women’s compound archery. Attention now turns to the knockout rounds, where the archers will aim to convert their strong qualification performances into medals.