India, Dec. 25 -- Sheetal Devi's trailblazing feats despite being born without arms stood out as she lifted Indian archery to new heights in 2025, but the sport was also pulled back by familiar cracks in recurve inconsistencies and administrative concerns ahead of next year's Asian Games. Hailing from Jammu's Kishtwar, the 18-year-old Sheetal was a personification of grit through the year with solid performances. Already a Paralympic bronze-medallist from Paris 2024, the 18-year-old reached unprecedented heights by becoming the first female armless world champion in para archery.

At the World Para Archery Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Sheetal struck gold in the women's compound open event, defeating Paralympic champion Oznur Cur...