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Watch: Incredible clip of Paralympic medallist Sheetal Devi driving using her feet

As an archer 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

Paralympic medalist Sheetal Devi driving a car. (Instagram screengrab)

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.

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A post shared by Sheetal Devi (@sheetal_archery)

What is phocomelia?

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.