Suhas, Nitesh Close In on Historic Badminton Gold at Paris Paralympics

Suhas Yathiraj and Nitesh Kumar moved closer to their first gold medals on Sunday by reaching the men's singles finals in their respective categories at the Paris Paralympics. Suhas, a silver medallist from the Tokyo Games, is set to become the first Indian shuttler to win consecutive Paralympic medals after defeating Sukant Kadam 21-17, 21-12 in SL4.

Nitesh Kumar secured a medal in SL3 with a 21-16, 21-12 victory over Japan's Daisuke Fujihara in another semifinal. However, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan lost her women's singles SH6 semifinal to China's Lin Shuangbao 13-21, 19-21 and will compete for a bronze medal.

Indian Shuttlers' Progress

The 41-year-old Suhas, an IAS officer from the 2007 batch, will now face France's Lucas Mazur. He aims to avenge his loss to Mazur in the Tokyo Paralympics final three years ago. "I still can't believe back-to-back finals. I thank God. I tried my best and didn't let pressure get to me," Suhas said.

Nitesh Kumar, who lost his left leg in a train accident in 2009, will compete against Great Britain's Daniel Bethell in the final. Bethell was the runner-up to Pramod Bhagat in the Tokyo Games, promising an exciting final on Monday. Sukant Kadam will play for the bronze medal next.

Background and Achievements

Nitesh Kumar, an IIT Mandi graduate who won three medals at the Asian Para Games, ensured India returns with a medal from the SL3 category. Pramod Bhagat clinched gold when para badminton debuted three years ago in Tokyo. "I have been performing consistently, so I had the self-belief that I will make the finals," said Nitesh.

Suhas Yathiraj, a computer engineer and District Magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivered a commanding performance to secure his place in the final. Speaking about Mazur, Suhas said, "We know each other very well. I defeated him in World Championships this year and he would want revenge."

Categories and Competitions

In SL4, athletes compete while standing with less severe impairments than those in SL3. Nitesh's sports journey began with football during childhood but shifted to badminton after an accident left him bedridden for months. Despite this setback, he developed a keen interest in badminton during his time at IIT-Mandi.

Nitesh made his debut at the Nationals in Faridabad, winning a bronze while representing Haryana. The following year, he won silver in singles and bronze in doubles at Bengaluru. His domestic success peaked at the 2020 Nationals where he defeated Pramod Bhagat and Manoj Sarkar to win gold.

Other Indian Competitors

Nitesh's victory assured India its third medal from para badminton after Manisha Ramadass confirmed a podium finish by setting up a women's singles SU5 semifinals duel with Thulasimathi Murugesan. The 19-year-old Manisha was born with Erb's palsy affecting her right arm but had no trouble defeating Japan's Mamiko Toyoda 21-13, 21-16.

Erb's palsy is a nerve disorder causing weakness or loss of muscle function in the shoulder and arm. Manisha needed just 30 minutes to down her unseeded rival. In SU5 category, players have upper limb impairments which could be on either hand.

India's medal hopes were further bolstered by Nithya Sivan Sumathy advancing to the women's singles SH6 semifinals with a 21-4, 21-7 victory over Poland's Oliwia Szmigiel. On Saturday, Sukant Kadam earned the right to face Suhas Yathiraj in SL4 semifinals ensuring India's first badminton medal from this edition of the Games.

Challenges Faced

Mandeep Kaur and Palak Kohli were eliminated following contrasting defeats in their respective quarterfinals on Sunday. Competing in SL3 category, Mandeep posed little challenge to Nigeria’s Bolaji Mariam Eniola losing 8-21, 9-21 in just 23 minutes. It was Mandeep's second consecutive defeat against Eniola having lost earlier in the group stage as well.

In SL4 category, para world championship bronze medallist Palak Kohli went down fighting 19-21, 15-21 to Indonesia’s Khalimatus Sadiyah within 28 minutes. Despite these setbacks, India's performance at the Paris Paralympics has been commendable with several athletes securing medals and advancing to finals.

The achievements of Suhas Yathiraj and Nitesh Kumar highlight India's growing prowess in para-badminton on an international stage. Their dedication and resilience serve as an inspiration for many aspiring athletes back home.