Sheetal Devi becoming world champion was a redemption of sorts for the armless archer after missing the podium in the individual event at the Paris Paralympics last year. On her return to her village Loidhar in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir after the latest success, the teenager talks to The Indian Express about how it feels to be the best in the world, the dip in form over the last one year, what went wrong in Paris, her early struggles, changes in technique and more.
Q. How do you see the win over defending champion and Paralympics gold medallist Oznur Cure Girdi in Gwangju?
Sheetal Devi: To win the world was always my dream. This title means a lot to me after trying all these years. Last time, I lost against Oznur in the final, but one learns from each loss. This time, my aim was to shoot with a free mind and give my best. I was not intimidated by an archer of her pedigree and knew that if I did my best, nothing could stop me. To win the world title after losing in the individual event in Paris is special.
Archer Sheetal Devi from India prepares to fire during the Paralympic Games in Paris on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. AP/PTI
Q. Before the final, you had a win over multiple Paralympic champion Jodie Grinham of Great Britain. Tell us about the thought process in the semis as well as taking the early lead against an archer like Girdi in the final?
Sheetal Devi: The compound format is such that if one lags behind early, it’s tough to make a comeback unless there are one or two bad shots by the opponent. But I did not go with the plan of taking the early lead. Even my second-last arrow was a 10. If the arrow would have hit a 6 or 7, it would have been very close. But the last arrow was also a 10. It’s all about one’s mental strength as well as preparation, and not the opponent.
Q. You had a technical issue on the penultimate arrow in the final. You have been shooting with your feet and controlling the releaser with your shoulder and face. Tell us about the technique and how tough is it mentally and physically?
Sheetal Devi: When I started, I thought that I had to set the bow and arrow with my feet. My coach Kuldeep Vedwan would come up with the releaser and spend hours training me to set the bow and arrow. It was tough physically and mentally as sometimes, the technique would not not be right or my feet would get tired. Sometimes, the grip would be tight and I had to adjust between shots. I needed willpower to master the technique.
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Q. You lost in the Paris individual pre-quarters against Chile’s Mariana Zuniga, despite being tipped to reach the final. Tell us about that and the redemption with the mixed team bronze medal days later.
Sheetal Devi: I was a bit disappointed after the individual loss in Paris. But I understood anxiety at competing for the first time on such a big stage contributed to that loss. I saw the mixed team matches as something to aim for. I wanted to win a medal in Paris and when I did so with Rakesh bhaiya (Kumar), one of my dreams was realised. He too trains at Katra and would motivate me throughout the matches. When we won, we felt as if Mata Vaishno Devi had granted us the medal for all our hard work.
Q. Post Paris, you shifted base to Patiala and the last one year saw you working towards a change in technique after the new rule stating that the back part of the heel can’t touch the bow. You also lost in the nationals to Payal Nag. How tough was it to change your technique?
Sheetal Devi: I shifted to train under Gaurav Sharma sir at Patiala. We were working on releasing the arrow with the bow not touching the back part of the heel. There were days when there would be a lot of pain in the fingers of my foot as the weight would be on that part. But once we set that technique, it was about adjusting to the new shooting style.
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Q. You have become only the second armless archer after Matt Stutzman to win the world title. Have you met him?
Sheetal Devi: I met Matt sir at the 2023 Worlds as well as the Paris Paralympics. We clicked pictures together. When we started, I would watch his videos to understand how he lifts the bow and releases the arrow. But once I got my technique sorted, which is somewhat different from his, I knew I could also achieve what he has.
Q. Lastly, how are you celebrating this world title?
Sheetal Devi: (Laughs). Returning home is the biggest celebration. My life changed when I left the village but it has given me strength and shaped my dreams. My parents instilled the belief in me that I am no less than anybody. Returning home as the world champion is a big thing for the family as well as the region but for me, it’s about Sheetal coming back where she belongs and the place which gave her wings.
