Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag won silver in the women’s compound doubles at the Asian Para Games, losing the final 141-150 to China’s Xu Xueqing and Zhao Jing. The top-ranked Indian pair, both 19, had beaten Thailand 151-135 in the semi-final.
Okazaki, Japan: India’s top seeds came to the gold-medal match with a dominant ranking round behind them and a comfortable semi-final win in hand. On Wednesday, China’s Xu Xueqing and Zhao Jing were the better pair, and the Indians spent the match chasing.
A final played from behind
The Chinese pair finished on 150, nine points clear of India’s 141. Sheetal Devi and Payal Nag were playing catch-up throughout, and the margin at the end reflected that.
The road to the final
The pair arrived as the strongest seeds in the field. In the ranking round, Sheetal shot 704 out of 720 to equal the world record, and with Payal adding 675, India’s total of 1,379 was the best in the doubles ranking round. In the semi-final they beat Thailand 151-135. China reached the final by edging Chinese Taipei 144-141 in the other semi-final.
Two 19-year-olds, one target
Both archers are 19. Sheetal, who was born without arms, won two golds and a silver at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, the silver coming in this same event. She added a bronze in the mixed team compound at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. Payal is a quadruple amputee, and the silver gives the young pair a result to build on.
What it means for India
The silver lifts India’s medal count at the Games to 41 at the time of reporting, 11 of them gold, 13 silver and 17 bronze, which leaves the country joint fifth. Sheetal, who topped the individual ranking round with 704, has now won a silver in this event at two successive Asian Para Games.
Result: Women’s compound doubles, Asian Para Games, Okazaki. Gold: China (Xu Xueqing, Zhao Jing) 150; Silver: India (Sheetal Devi, Payal Nag) 141. Semi-final: India 151, Thailand 135.
