New Delhi, Dec 16: Armless archer Sheetal Devi continued her stunning form as she won a gold medal in the Open category of compound section at the inaugural Khelo India Para Games here on Saturday.
Sheetal’s score of 141 was just enough to ward off a serious challenge from Uttar Pradesh’s Jyoti Baliyan, who won the silver with 138, at the JLN Stadium here.
Sheetal, who won two medals, including a gold, at her maiden Asian Para Games in Hangzhou recently, did not have it easy. She had to dig deep into her skills and mental strength to pip Jyoti in a thrilling finish.
Sarita from Haryana won bronze with a score of 137.
Paralympians Harvinder Singh of Haryana and Vivek Chikara of Uttar Pradesh also finished among the medals in recurve archery. While Harvinder won gold, Chikara settled for silver and Sahil from Haryana won the bronze.
Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist Bhavina Patel of Gujarat clinched gold in women’s Class 4 table tennis event as she beat statemate Usha Rathod 3-0 (11-7 11-1 11-8) in the final.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Sonal Patel added another table tennis gold for Gujarat as she beat Bihar’s Vidya Kumari 3-0 (11-3 11-1 11-2) in the final of women’s Class 1-3 event.
Hangzhou Asian Para Games silver winner Rudransh Khandelwal of Rajasthan continued his good form on the final day at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range, as he claimed the gold medal in the men’s 50m pistol SH1 event with a score of 223.4.
Khandelwal, who holds the world record in the same event, surpassed Haryana’s Singhraj (216.4) who settled for silver. Rajasthan’s Shiv Raj Sankhala won the bronze medal with a score of 194.7.
Para athletes mentally stronger: Bhaker
lympian shooters Manu Bhaker and Anjum Moudgil said on Saturday that para athletes were an embodiment of determination and they give able-bodied athletes the added motivation to excel in the international stage, including the Olympics.
Rifle shooter Anjum, pistol exponent Manu and rapid-fire marksman Anish Bhanwal, who were at the Karni Singh ranges to give away medals to the Khelo India Para Games winners, felt there were lessons to be learnt from the struggles of the specially-abled athletes.
Manu said para shooters are mentally tougher than their able-bodied counterparts. (PTI)
