India's armless archer Sheetal Devi on Thursday missed the world record by one point in the ranking round of the women's individual compound archery competition at the Paris Paralympics. (More Sports News)
The 17-year-old Devi from Jammu and Kashmir, who shoots with her legs as she was born without arms, scored a total of 703 points out of possible 720 to finish second behind Oznur Girdi Cure of Turkey, who set a ranking round world record of 704 points.
The previous world record was 698 set by Phoebe Pine Paterson of Great Britain earlier this month. Devi broke the record but was overtaken by her Turkish rival.
Devi shot a 9 in her final attempt, thus falling a point short of matching the world record.
The second finish helps Devi to get straight into the Round of 16 of the women's individual compound archery competition. The top-four finishers in the ranking round, including Devi, will get byes from the round of 32 competition. The Round of 16 matches will take place on Saturday, August 31.
Devi's opponent in the Round of 16 encounter will be the winner of the Round 32 match between Mariana Zuniga of Chile and Choi Na Mi of Korea, who finished 15th and 18th respectively in the ranking round.
Devi had become a sensation during last year's Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, China, where she became the first Indian woman to win two gold medals in a single edition of the Games. She had won a third medal -- a silver -- also.
She had won gold medals in the women's individual compound as well as mixed team event and a silver in the women's doubles in Hangzhou.
Discovered at a military camp in a remote part of Kishtwar in Jammu and Kashmir and adopted by the Indian Army in her childhood, Devi also became the first armless woman to win a Para World Archery Championships medal last year.
Devi was born with phocomelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder which kept her limbs underdeveloped.
(With PTI Inputs)
