The Indian Paralympic squad at the Paris 2024 Games is making waves, with the team clinching four medals on Friday and raising hopes for even more. The athletes have been impressing both on and off the podium, with their performances captivating audiences worldwide.
A standout moment came from badminton star Sivarajan Solaimalai, whose dazzling shots in a men’s singles SH6 match against Hong Kong’s Man Kai Chu have taken the internet by storm. The thrilling rally between Solaimalai and Chu showcased some of the most spectacular badminton action, quickly going viral across social media.
Day 3 of the Paralympic Badminton event saw remarkable performances from Indian para shuttlers. In the men’s SL3 category, Kumar Nitesh dominated with a decisive win over China’s Yang Jianyuan, finishing with scores of 21-5 and 21-11, cementing his position in the tournament. Suhas L Yathiraj delivered a gripping performance in the SL4 category, edging out Korea’s Shin Kyung Hwan in a tightly contested match with scores of 26-24 and 21-14.
The women’s side also shone brightly, with Thulsimathi Murugesan advancing to the semifinals after a commanding victory over Portugal’s Beatriz Monterio, winning 21-12 and 21-8. Nithya Sre also impressed, defeating Chinese Taipei’s Cai Yi-Lin with scores of 21-12 and 21-19.
Meanwhile, Mansi Joshi battled hard in the SL3 women’s category against Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna but narrowly missed out in a three-set thriller, with scores of 21-10, 15-21, and 21-23. Manoj Sarkar and Palak Kohli also faced tough losses in their respective matches.
With India sending its largest-ever Paralympic team of 84 athletes across 12 sports to Paris, there is palpable excitement as the nation aims to build on its Tokyo 2020 success, where it won 19 medals. As the Games continue, Indian athletes remain driven and focused, with high hopes for further achievements in the coming events.