Okazaki: Indian star archers Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar have shattered the para compound mixed team world record in the archery event with a breathtaking show at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square here in Okazaki on Monday.
The Indian archers combined to score 1402 points in the ranking round to break the previous world record of 1400, which belonged to Sheetal and Rakesh Kumar. Both Sheetal and Rakesh had set the previous record earlier this year in Ahmedabad at the World Para Archery Series.
This was by some margin the Asian Para Games record too. The previous record at the Games was set by China in the 2023 Hangzhou Games, where they hit 1382.
Toman shot 698 from the possible 720 points in the men’s compound ranking round, while Sheetal hit 704 in the women’s ranking round.
During the ranking round, Sheetal’s 704 was also a new Asian record and a joint world record, which adds to her illustrious career. The duo will be among the favourites to win the gold in the final.
Sheetal finished on top in the individual qualification with a score of 704. Singapore’s Nur Syahidah Alim was a distant second with 683 points, ahead of China’s Xueqing Xu (680).
In the men’s individual compound ranking event, Toman was third with a personal best score of 698. China’s Yicheng Zhang broke the Asian record as she scored 708 points, ahead of another Chinese, Xinliang Ai, who hit 704.
Meanwhile, Sheetal won gold in the women’s compound individual event at the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou before claiming a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics in 2024. She has also earned world champion status, establishing herself among the sport’s elite despite her young age.
Meanwhile, Toman is a world champion in the men’s compound individual category and is also the world No.1 in his classification.
–IANS–
