Oznur Cure Girdi caps a dream performance with Paralympic gold.

 Oznur Cure Girdi caps a dream performance with Paralympic gold. 

The 26-year-old Turkish archer Öznur Cure Girdi became a para archery sensation at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. She set a new world record in the compound women’s ranking round, scoring over 700 points, and maintained her exceptional form throughout the elimination rounds.

Öznur claimed her first Paralympic gold by defeating Iran's Fatemeh Hemmati 144-141 in the final.

The match was tied after the first end, but as it progressed, Cure Girdi began shooting 10s and nines, establishing a 2-point lead. By the final end, she was ahead by 3 points and secured the gold with confidence.

Throughout the competition, Öznur demonstrated her dominance, solidifying her status as the top contender. She was simply unstoppable.

“I believed in the medal after the ranking round and my world record,” the 26-year-old athlete shared.

After releasing her final arrow, Cure Girdi burst into tears of joy.

“I knew I could do it! And now it's around my neck! I'm so happy. I worked really hard for this. It's incredible!”

She celebrated with deep emotion, crying and shouting, but remained composed in the decisive moments.

“We actually put a lot of effort into this,” said the newly crowned Paralympic Champion.

“We have a large team, and we work extensively with our psychologist. During the preparation period, we did many exercises to control my nerves. It really helped me during the competition,” Oznur explained.

“I practiced feeling the pressure during training, so it was easier to manage it during the competition. I was prepared for it. I’m happy I could handle the pressure.”

Silver went to Iran’s Fatemeh Hemmati, who defeated defending champion Phoebe Paterson Pine in the semifinal. The British archer left without a medal after losing to her teammate in a thrilling bronze medal match.

Jodie Grinham’s incredible run for bronze drew applause and admiration, as she competed while 6.5 months pregnant.

Paterson Pine took the lead in the third end and maintained her advantage. Heading into her final shot, she needed a ten to secure the bronze medal or a nine to force a tie. She shot an eight.

"Especially in archery, the match isn’t over until the last arrow is shot," Grinham said.

Despite the pressure, she delivered two 10s to clinch the match.

"I knew going into that last end that I needed to make strong shots. I needed 10s, and thankfully, that’s what I delivered."

"I put the pressure on Phoebe, which was tough since she’s my teammate, but it worked out in my favor, and I came away with the bronze."

Grinham celebrated her first individual Paralympic medal and, despite expecting a child soon, firmly stated her intention to compete in the next Paralympics in Los Angeles, USA.

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