At the Paris 2024 Paralympics, 26-year-old Turkish archer Oznur Cure Girdi emerged as a para archery star. She shattered the world record in the compound women's ranking round, surpassing 700 points, and maintained her exceptional form throughout the elimination rounds.

In a thrilling final, Oznur secured her first Paralympic gold by defeating Iran's Fatemeh Hemmati 144-141. The match started evenly, but Cure Girdi took control with a series of 10s and 9s, establishing a 2-point lead that grew to 3 before the final end. Her performance proved unbeatable, affirming her status as a top contender.

“I believed in the medal already after the ranking round and my world record,” Oznur said, overcome with emotion after her final arrow. “I’m so happy. I worked really hard for this. It’s great!” She celebrated joyfully, tears of happiness streaming down her face.

Cure Girdi acknowledged the extensive preparation behind her victory, including teamwork and psychological training. “We have a huge team, and we practice a lot with our psychologist. The exercises to control my nerves helped me during the competition,” she explained. “I was used to the pressure, and I’m happy I could handle it.”

The silver medal went to Iran’s Fatemeh Hemmati, who defeated defending champion Phoebe Paterson Pine in the semifinals. Paterson Pine did not secure a medal, losing to her teammate Jodie Grinham in a dramatic bronze medal match.

Grinham’s performance was especially remarkable as she competed 6.5 months pregnant. She took the lead in the third end and clinched the bronze with two crucial 10s, finishing the match with a strong finish. “I needed 10s, and thankfully, that’s exactly what I did,” Grinham said. Despite the emotional tension of competing against her teammate, she was thrilled with her first individual Paralympic medal and is determined to compete in the next Paralympics in Los Angeles.

The competition in Paris will continue on Sunday with the W1 and compound men's elimination and medal matches.