Para shuttler Nitesh Kumar entered the men’s singles final in SL3 category on Sunday (Sep 1), assuring at least another silver medal for India at the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024. Nitesh, who is top seeded, will face Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell in the final on Monday (Sep 2).
Nitesh beat Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara 21-16, 21-12 in straight sets and will aim to defend India’s gold in the event from the last Paralympics.
Pramod Bhagat had won the gold last time in the SL3 category in the Tokyo Paralympics 2021 by beating Bethell. It was in Tokyo that para badminton made its debut in the Paralympics.
SL3 category players have severe limb disabilities which requires para badminton players like Nitesh to play on half-width court. The 29-year-old is an IIT Mandi graduate and suffered an accident in 2009 which caused permanent leg damage.
Suhas Yathiraj advances to SL4 para badminton final
Apart from Nitesh, India’s Suhas Yathiraj also advanced to men’s singles final in SL4 category of para badminton, assuring another silver for the country at least.
Suhas beat fellow countryman Sukant Kadam, 21-17, 21-12 in straight sets in the semi-final on Sunday (Sep 1). Suhas will face France’s Lucas Mazur in the final on Monday (Sep 2) in the gold medal match.
Kadam, on the other hand, will play in the bronze medal match against Indonesia’s Fredy Setiawan on Monday.
Suhas worked as a software engineer who graduated from National Institute of Technology (NIT), Surathkhal. He joined the prestigious Indian Administrative Services (IAS) in 2007 and currently serves as Secretary and Director General of Youth Welfare and Prantiya Rakshak Dal, a department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
He was also awarded with Arjuna Award – India’s second highest Sports Award – in 2021.