The Indian duo went on to claim the bronze medal with a 156-155 win over Italy’s Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina.
The Indian duo of Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar staged a remarkable comeback after the heartbreak in the semifinals to claim the bronze medal with a 156-155 win over Italy’s Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina in mixed team compound archery competition at Paralympics here on Monday.
It is only the second time that India has won a medal in Paralympics in archery. Harvinder Singh bagged an individual bronze at the Tokyo edition of the Games three years ago.
Sheetal also became the first Indian woman to win an archery medal at the quadrennial showpiece as coach Kuldeep Vedhwan rejoiced at the stands. Sheetal, 17, was born in 2007 with phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder leading to underdeveloped limbs. The condition resulted in her arms not fully forming.
The 39-year-old Rakesh suffered a spinal cord injury and after recovering in 2009 he realised he would be wheelchair-bound for life, which plunged him into depression and even forced him to contemplate taking his own life.
Winning moments of our favourite duo 🇮🇳🫶
Sheetal Devi & Rakesh Ji are Paralympics Medalistspic.twitter.com/7loWRC58xQ
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) September 2, 2024
India won after the 17-year-old Sheetal’s shot in the final end was upgraded from 9 to 10 following a revision. Something similar had happened in the semifinal too, against Iran earlier in the evening, but the Indians were at the receiving end on that occasion.