India’s para archers Sheetal Devi and Toman Kumar made history at the 2026 Asian Para Games on Monday, October 19, setting a new world record in the compound mixed-team ranking round in Japan. The Indian pair scored a combined 1,402 points, surpassing the previous record of 1,400 and giving India’s campaign a powerful start.
The achievement came during the qualification rounds at the Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Multipurpose Square in the Aichi-Nagoya region. Sheetal contributed 704 points from the women’s compound event, while Toman scored 698 in the men’s competition. Their combined total secured the top seed for the mixed-team event and placed the Indian duo among the leading contenders for a medal.
The previous mixed-team world record of 1,400 points had also featured Sheetal, who achieved it with Rakesh Kumar at the World Para Archery Series in Ahmedabad earlier this year. Her partnership with Toman has now pushed the benchmark higher, underlining India’s strength in para compound archery.
Sheetal’s performance was remarkable even before the mixed-team result was confirmed. The 19-year-old archer equalled the women’s individual compound world record by scoring 704 out of a possible 720 points. In doing so, she improved her own Asian record of 698 points by six points.
She shot 72 arrows during the qualification round, recording 57 arrows in the 10-point zone, including 32 shots in the innermost X ring. The X marks the most central area of the target and helps distinguish the most accurate shots when scores are otherwise equal.
The individual world record of 704 points is also held by Türkiye’s Oznur Cure, who established the mark at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Sheetal’s performance therefore places her alongside one of the world’s leading compound archers and sets a strong standard for the rest of the competition.
Her latest achievement adds to a career that has already brought international recognition. Sheetal, who is from Jammu and Kashmir, was born without arms and shoots using her feet and a technique that involves holding and drawing the bow with her lower body and shoulder. She has become one of India’s most prominent para athletes through years of training and competition.
At the 2023 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou, she won two gold medals and a silver. She also won a bronze medal at the Paris Paralympics in 2024 and has continued to establish herself among the top names in para archery.
Toman Kumar’s contribution was equally important to the mixed-team record. His score of 698 out of 720 placed him third in the men’s compound individual ranking round. Combined with Sheetal’s 704, it gave India a total that bettered the earlier world mark by two points.
The Indian women’s compound team also delivered a strong performance. Sheetal and debutant Payal Nag combined for 1,379 points in the qualification round, putting India at the top of the team standings. Payal scored 675 points, finishing fifth in the individual qualification standings and making an encouraging start to her first major multi-sport international competition.
The results offer India several opportunities in the para archery events, with the ranking rounds determining seedings for the elimination stages. A top seed can provide a favourable position in the draw, although the medal contests will depend on performance under pressure in the knockout rounds.
The Asian Para Games, being held in Japan’s Aichi-Nagoya region, bring together athletes from across the continent in a wide range of para sports. India has arrived with high expectations after its strong showing at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, where the team won 111 medals, including 29 golds, according to the final tally.
The Indian contingent is looking to build on that record, with established names such as Sheetal Devi, Toman Kumar, Avani Lekhara and Sumit Antil among the athletes expected to make an impact. Para archery is one of the events where India has a strong chance of adding to its medal count.
For Sheetal and Toman, the world record is an impressive beginning, but the focus will now shift to the medal rounds. Their performance has raised expectations for the mixed-team event, while Sheetal’s individual score has confirmed her status as one of the leading contenders in women’s compound archery.
The records have given India’s campaign an early lift and brought attention to the precision, preparation and consistency required in para archery. The challenge now is to carry that form into the knockout stages and turn a record-breaking qualification round into a podium finish.
