Sheetal Devi rates individual gold her most special medal at Asian Para Games

India's para athletes returned from the Asian Para Games in Japan with medals and records. Sheetal Devi said she stayed focused on archery despite rising expectations, Mona Agarwal celebrated a landmark campaign, and Nitesh Kumar set his sights on Los Angeles

New Delhi: India’s star para archer Sheetal Devi is keeping her focus firmly on her game and tuning out the social media buzz as her consistent medal-winning performances continue to raise expectations. Her latest success came at the Asian Para Games in Japan.

Sheetal returned to New Delhi on Sunday to a rousing welcome along with her fellow Indian archers after winning two gold medals and a silver in the compound individual, mixed team and women’s team events.

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“I focus on my game. I do not look at social media much. But I feel very happy when I win a medal and people come to see me. Many children, even young children, watch, so it feels wonderful,” she told PTI.

The para archery sensation defended her individual title with a hard-fought win over Singapore’s Nur Syahidah Alim, renewing their rivalry from the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Para Games final. The 19-year-old from Jammu rated the individual gold as the most special of her three medals.

“The individual event. The others are special too, but my focus was more on the individual event to return as a champion. With the grace of God and everyone’s wonderful and lovely support, I won,” she said.

Paris Paralympics gold medallist Harvinder Singh said India’s recurve team handled the pressure of heightened expectations well to clinch gold at the continental event.

“Indeed, higher expectations bring pressure, but I am glad we handled that pressure. Our practice was excellent, the federation’s support was wonderful, and we received a week of training there, all of which benefited us in archery,” said Harvinder, who partnered Vijay Sundi in the men’s recurve team event.

India recorded its best-ever campaign in archery at the Asian Para Games, returning with three gold and an equal number of silver medals.

“It feels wonderful when the entire team wins medals. In 2018, only I had won an individual medal, but this time I am happy that many more medals have come. For those few players who did not win, we hope that next time our entire team will bring home medals,” he said.

Mona Agarwal’s dream run in Japan

Para shooter Mona Agarwal described her campaign at the Asian Para Games as a dream come true after clinching two gold medals and setting five records, including a world record.

Mona, who was named India’s flag bearer for the closing ceremony in Nagoya, emerged as the country’s most successful athlete in its campaign that yielded 114 medals.

“I would like to say that in a very short time, I have brought back a lot of happiness from Japan. I was expecting a medal, but when five records were created together and I became the flag bearer, it is a very big achievement for me,” she said upon her return.

“Winning a medal, setting records, and becoming a flag bearer are all connected; they cannot be separated. It feels like a dream. When I left for Japan, I went thinking I would bring back two medals, but I did not think I would return with two gold, five records, and become the flag bearer,” she added.

Nitesh eyes another Paralympics gold

Indian shuttler Nitesh Kumar clinched gold in the men’s singles SL3 category after defeating compatriot and veteran Pramod Bhagat in an all-Indian final.

“Winning against Pramod in two sets is, of course, very special. Winning the final against him is a very rare thing, and the final match was quite good and interesting,” the Paris Paralympics gold medallist said.

Nitesh said his ultimate goal was to defend his Paralympic title at the Los Angeles Games in 2028.

“We are hoping for the same (Paralympics gold), but two years is a long journey. First, we have to get through qualifications, and the target will remain the same — to defend my title in LA,” he said.