Latest news with #Phocomelia
News18
7 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
Paralympic Archer Sheetal Devi Stuns Netizens With Her Car Driving Skills: WATCH
Last Updated: Devi was born with Phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that causes underdeveloped limbs. Indian Paralympic medal-winning archer Sheetal Devi continues to dismantle every doubt and obstacle, dazzling fans with a clip of her driving a car with her feet. Devi was born with Phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that causes underdeveloped limbs. However, her fortunes changed in 2019 when she was discovered by the Indian Army at a military camp. Recognizing her potential, they provided educational support and medical care. Under the mentorship of Kuldeep Vedwan, a specialized Paralympic archery coach, Sheetal embarked on a rigorous training regimen. Her dedication culminated in a historic achievement at the 2023 World Archery Para Championship, when she won a silver medal, making her the world's first armless woman archer to compete at such a level. A hungry and undeterred Devi also etched history at the 2024 Paris Paralympics by becoming the youngest Indian to win a medal at the esteemed event. She uses her right foot, right shoulder, and jaw to release the arrow, and gets the upper body strength from a penchant for climbing trees as a kid. Now, in yet another stellar display of breaking all barriers, Sheetal took to Instagram to post a video of her maneuvering a car effortlessly on her own. 'Took on the driver's seat for a while, loving every moment of it. Never say NEVER," she captioned it. Sheetal Devi and Rakesh Kumar had a brilliant performance at the 2024 Paralympics as the Indian duo clinched the bronze medal in the mixed team compound archery competition. The Indian duo triumphed over Italy's Eleonora Sarti and Matteo Bonacina in the third-place match to secure the Bronze, marking only the second time that India has claimed a medal in Paralympic archery. With the win, Sheetal also etched personal history of her own, becoming the first Indian woman to win an archery medal in the history of the Paralympics. First Published: June 27, 2025, 15:44 IST
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Watch: Incredible clip of Paralympic medallist Sheetal Devi driving using her feet
Indian Paralympic player Sheetal Devi was seen driving a car using her feet in a social media clip released on her Instagram. 'Took on the driver's seat for a while, loving every moment of it. Never say NEVER,' she captioned it. Devi was born with Phocomelia, a rare congenital disorder that causes underdeveloped limbs. During the Paris Paralympics, she shot 703 points out of a possible 720, leaving behind the previous world record score of 698. She uses her right foot, right shoulder, and jaw to release the arrow and gets the upper body strength from a penchant for climbing trees as a kid. Devi is only one of two armless athletes to win a bronze medal at the Paralympics. The story of this 18-year-old archer from Jammu, however, is not just about beating the odds and winning medals. She is also inspiring others in similar or more challenging circumstances to take up the bow and be as good as her. A post shared by Sheetal Devi (@sheetal_archery) National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) notes in a report that when phocomelia is identified in a child, physicians should complete a thorough search for other associated abnormalities, as other defects are present in approximately half of the patients presenting with this limb anomaly. 'Particularly, practitioners should examine the musculoskeletal system, including the vertebrae, the intestines, and the heart, as dysfunction in these organ systems appears most frequently in conjunction with phocomelia,' it reads. NCBI notes that prosthetics may be of some use, 'but many without such tools can function quite well'. 'Families of children who have severely hypoplastic extremities should work with therapists to help understand how to meet the unique needs of their children. And finally, caring for a disabled child can be traumatic for some people. Therefore, physicians should have a low threshold to recommend mental counselling services to assist in coping mechanisms that both the parents and the child may need,' the report reads.
