The Indian team of Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar clinched a bronze medal in the mixed-team compound event at the ongoing Paralympic Games 2024. The Indian pair of Sheetal and Rakesh got the better of the Italian team by a very close margin of 156-155 to take the third prize in the team event.
Sheetal and Rakesh left no stone unturned in the bronze medal match after losing in their semifinal to an Iranian pair. The Indians registered a come-from-behind victory in the bronze medal match. In the four-end game, the Indians were trailing 38-40 after the first end. They found their mojo soon with both the Indians hitting 10s in the next end to take the maximum 40 points. They then collected 38 points in the next end to trail 116-117 going into the final end.
But Rakesh and Sheetal returned to hitting 10s as they collected 40 points, while the Italian pair took 38 as the Indians edged past in a nail-biting thriller to win the match.
Following their win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the two athletes for winning the bronze. "Teamwork triumphs! Congratulations to Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar on winning the Bronze in Mixed Team Compound Open Archery. They have demonstrated remarkable dexterity and determination. India is delighted by this feat," Modi wrote in a post on X.
India are having a brilliant time in Paris. Avani Lekhara and Mona Agarwal were the first ones to bag medals at the ongoing Summer Games. Avani won gold while Mona took bronze in the R2 - Women's 10m Air Rifle Standing SH1. Manish Narwal took home a silver in the P1 - Men's 10m Air Pistol SH1 category, while Rubina Francis was the latest shooter to bag a medal. She clinched a bronze in the P2 - Women's 10m Air Pistol SH1 event. Preethi Pal became India's first track medallist at the Paralympics as she won a bronze in the Women's 100m - T35 category.
