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Sheetal Devi wins dramatic shoot-off to claim first individual Series gold in Ahmedabad

9 September 2026

Ahmedabad (India)

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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.

In the men’s individual events, there was heartbreak for Indonesia as Ken Swagumilang and Kholidin both had to settle for silver.

Asian Para Games bronze medallist Swagumilang fought hard, but France’s sixth ranked Maxime Guerin edged a tight compound men’s individual final, 143-142, to claim his first gold medal of the season.

Tied at 113-all after four ends, Guerin shot a perfect 30 against Swagumilang’s 29 in the fifth to secure victory. For the Indonesian, it was his second silver medal on the circuit, having also finished runner-up in Nove Mesto.

Stage one winner Kholidin, meanwhile, went down fighting to Santiago 2023 Parapan American Games champion Samuel Molina of Mexico, 6-5, in the recurve men’s final.

Tied at 5-5 after five sets, the world number five Mexican shot a 10 in the shoot-off while Kholidin managed an eight, handing Molina his first gold medal on the circuit.