Sheetal Devi won two gold medals at the Asian Para Games 2026 on October 22, delivering a remarkable performance for Indian para-archery in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. She first partnered with Toman Kumar to defeat Indonesia 151–148 in the compound mixed team final, securing India's first archery gold of the Games, according to The Tribune. Just hours later, Sheetal successfully defended her women's compound individual title against Singapore's Nur Syahidah Alim. Swati Chaudhary also made history by winning India's first medal in the women's W1 archery category, adding another highlight to the country's campaign.

How Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar Won Mixed Team Gold

The Indian pair began confidently against Indonesia's Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang. Sheetal and Toman took a narrow 38–37 lead after the opening end before extending their advantage to 77–73 at the halfway stage.

Indonesia reduced the gap by one point in the third end, but India maintained a three-point advantage. Both teams scored 38 in the final end, allowing the Indian pair to secure victory 151–148. The gold came after a tense semifinal against Chinese Taipei, where India survived a narrow 142–141 win despite Toman's final arrow scoring zero. Sheetal's accurate shooting proved crucial in keeping India ahead.

World Record Adds to India's Asian Para Games Success

The mixed team triumph followed an extraordinary qualification performance. According to World Archery, Sheetal and Toman combined for 1,402 points during qualification on October 19, surpassing the previous world record of 1,400.

Sheetal contributed 704 points from a possible 720, equalling the women's compound qualification world record and establishing a new Asian record. Toman added 698 points, helping India secure the top seed. The record remains subject to official ratification, but the performance underlined the pair's consistency ahead of the knockout rounds.

Sheetal Devi Wins Second Gold in Women's Individual Final

Returning to the archery range later on October 22, Sheetal faced Singapore's Nur Syahidah Alim in a repeat of the Hangzhou 2023 final. The Singaporean opened strongly and established a four-point advantage after two ends. However, Sheetal responded with six consecutive 10s across the next two ends, overturning the deficit and entering the final end with a two-point lead.

She held her composure to secure the individual title for the second consecutive edition of the Games. According to PTI reporting carried by Free Press Journal, the final score was 142–139. The victory brought Sheetal's medal tally at the 2026 Games to three: two golds and one silver. She had earlier partnered Payal Nag to win silver in the women's compound doubles on October 21.

Swati Chaudhary Creates History With W1 Silver

India's medal celebrations extended to the women's W1 individual event, where Swati Chaudhary won the country's first Asian Para Games medal in the classification. Swati lost the final 4–6 to China's Cen Mengkan after initially taking a 4–2 lead. The Indian archer won the first and third sets, but her opponent recovered with strong performances in the closing stages to secure gold. According to DT Next, Swati's achievement marked an important milestone for India's participation in the W1 category, which includes athletes with significant impairments affecting the upper and lower limbs.

What Sheetal Devi's Medal Haul Means for India

Sheetal's latest performance takes her career Asian Para Games tally to six medals across two editions: four golds and two silvers. She also holds a mixed-team bronze medal from the Paris 2024 Paralympics and won individual gold at the 2025 World Para Archery Championships. For Indian para-archery, the October 22 results demonstrate growing strength across individual, doubles and mixed-team events.

Toman's gold and Swati's historic silver also show that India's medal prospects extend beyond one standout athlete. With further recurve archery events scheduled during the Games, the Indian contingent has additional opportunities to improve its medal tally. For now, Sheetal's two gold medals in a single day stand among the defining achievements of India's campaign in Japan, adding another chapter to her remarkable international career.