India Shines at Asian Para Games with Gold in Para Badminton
Outstanding Performances in Para Badminton
File image of Naveen Sivakumar and Nitesh Kumar(Photo: @khadseraksha/X)
Nagoya, Oct 23: In a remarkable display of skill, India's Naveen Sivakumar and Nitesh Kumar secured gold medals in the men's singles SL3 and SL4 categories, respectively, during the para badminton events at the Asian Para Games held here on Friday.
Nitesh triumphed over fellow Indian Pramod Bhagat, a two-time gold medalist from the 2018 and 2022 editions, with a score of 21-18, 21-16 in a thrilling all-Indian final featuring two Paralympic champions.
Additionally, Thulasi Murugesan earned a silver medal after a tough match in the women's singles SU5 final, where she was defeated by China's Yang with scores of 21-18, 21-11.
Thulasi remains in contention for two more golds, as she will team up with Nitesh in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 final against Indonesia's Leani Ratri Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani. Later, she will compete in the women's doubles SL3-SU5 final alongside Manasi Girishchandra Joshi against China's Yang Qiuxia and Xiao Zuxian.
In another event, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan concluded her campaign with a silver medal after losing to China's Li Fengmei in the women's singles SH6 final, with scores of 12-21, 13-21.
In para badminton, the SL3 category is designated for athletes with significant lower-limb impairments competing on a half court, while SL4 is for those with lower-limb impairments who exhibit better balance in walking and running. The SU5 category is for players with upper-limb impairments, and SH6 is for athletes of short stature.
India is participating in 11 sports at the Aichi-Nagoya event, showcasing numerous Paralympic champions and medalists among its top competitors.
The Indian contingent arrived in Aichi-Nagoya following their most successful Asian Para Games campaign in Hangzhou 2023, where they achieved a historic total of 111 medals, including 29 gold, 31 silver, and 51 bronze, finishing fifth overall.