World champion and world number one Sheetal Devi topped compound women’s qualifying in Bangkok on Wednesday, in the inaugural World Archery Para Series event and the first outdoor international of 2026.
Devi finished on 698, a full 20 points ahead of the second placed athlete, Zhanat Aitimova of Kazakhstan. Three other Indian athletes made the top six as well as Devi: Payal Nag, Sarita and Jyoti.
In compound men, veteran Australian Jonathon Milne, a bronze medallist at the 2023 Worlds, topped the list with 703, comfortably ahead of world number two and reigning world champion Toman Kumar of India on 689.
Vijay Sundi of India led recurve men on 641, three points ahead of reigning Paralympic champion Harvinder Singh.
A familiar name dominated recurve women: Ziva Lavrinc of Slovenia who shot 597, a full 37 points ahead of the rest of the pack. Lavrinc is one of a handful of European athletes at this Asia-focused event, in a year when the Asian Para Games dominates the calendar for many squads.
Another veteran, Chaiwat Srinaulsoong of host nation Thailand led men’s W1 with a 641, with the 66-year-old Kim Ok Geum of Korea leading the women‘s list with 613. Kim’s medal at last year’s world championships was picked out by World Archery as the top highlight of that competition.
Competition continues on Wednesday with team and individual eliminations. Finals will take place on Saturday and will be streamed on archery+.
