Home favourite Sheetal Devi shot an X to prevail over Kazakhstan’s Aizada Seidan in a dramatic shoot-off and claim her first individual gold medal at the Hyundai World Archery Para Series in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
World number 44 Seidan matched Devi shot for shot from the start, with both archers opening with a perfect 30. The Kazakh then shot two Xs – the X-ring being the central zone within the 10-ring used to break ties – with her final two arrows of regulation to force a tie-break.
Buoyed by the home crowd, Devi responded with an X in the shoot-off to overcome Seidan, who was chasing the first title of her career.
Devi’s compatriot Sarita completed the podium with bronze after defeating China’s teenager and reigning Asian Youth Para Games Champion Wang Huiting in another closely-fought compound women’s individual match.
The silver was Seidan’s first of her career, while Devi celebrated her first individual World Archery Para Series gold on home soil and underlined her strong form ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games.
There was another career first in Ahmedabad.
Iran’s world number 65 Somayeh Rahimi Ghahderijani defeated China’s world number 39 Liang Qiurong 6-2 in the recurve women’s final to claim the first individual title of her career.
Qiurong, who had already won the women’s doubles title, settled for another silver after losing 6-0 to India’s Harvinder Singh and Bhawna in the recurve mixed team final.
Reigning Paralympic champion Harvinder had already added the recurve men’s doubles gold medal to his Ahmedabad campaign on Tuesday.
