Sheetal Devi, Tomar Kumar win compound mixed team gold at Asian Para Games

India's run of gold medals at the Asian Para Games 2026 continues. Para archers Sheetal Devi and Tomar Kumar won gold for the country in the compound mixed team event by beating an Indonesian pair in the final. In a thrilling contest, the Indian pair won 151-148.

Earlier, in the qualification round, Sheetal and Tomar had set a world record, strengthening their claim for the final. The Indian pair was the top seed.

From the start of the final, the Indian pair shot accurately and held the lead. India were slightly ahead at 38-37 in the first round. In the second round the Indian archers played even better, taking the score to 77-73, a four-point lead over the Indonesian pair.

In the third round, Indonesia's Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelli and Ken Swagumilang gained a point, but the Indian pair's overall lead remained at three points. In the last round both teams tied at 38-38. India's existing lead was enough for the gold medal. Indonesia had to settle for silver.

Sheetal Devi and Tomar Kumar had also performed brilliantly in the qualification round. In the compound mixed team ranking round, the Indian pair scored a total of 1,402 points, two more than the previous world record. That performance strengthened their claim for the final, and the pair showed their mettle in the title contest too.

Sheetal Devi is one of the best-known athletes in Indian para archery. Before the Asian Para Games, she had won medals for India in several major competitions. She was born without arms, but did not let her physical challenges come in the way of her goal. She handles the compound bow with her feet and knees, and uses her shoulder and jaw to pull and release the bowstring.

The win by Sheetal and Tomar has added to India's medal tally at the Asian Para Games.