Kumar Nitesh wins gold; Thulasimathi, Manisha shine with silver and bronze at Paralympics – ThePrint – PTIFeed

Paris, Sep 2 (PTI) Kumar Nitesh won his maiden Paralympic gold in the men’s singles SL3 event while Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manisha Ramadass clinched silver and bronze respectively in the women’s singles SU5 event, marking a historic feat for Indian shuttlers on Monday.

Nitesh, 29, who lost his left leg in a train accident in 2009, showed remarkable resilience and tactical brilliance in a thrilling 21-14, 18-21, 23-21 win over Briton Daniel Bethell in a thrilling final to secure India’s maiden gold in the event.

“Maybe when I’m on the podium and the national anthem is played, it will sink in.” In the SU5 women’s singles, 22-year-old Thulasimathi, who was born with a congenital deformity in her left hand, fought hard but lost 17-21, 10-21 to defending champion Yang Qiuxia of China, taking silver.

“I’m happy with the silver, but I’m a little disappointed that I couldn’t give it my all,” she said.

“I made a lot of mistakes. I should have won the first set. I lost 1-2 points because of a drift and then a few unforced errors that gave her the lead.” Meanwhile, 19-year-old Manisha, who was born with Erb’s palsy affecting her right hand, secured bronze by beating Cathrine Rosengren of Denmark 21-12, 21-8.

“I am very happy. I am on cloud nine,” said Manisha.

“Yesterday I was really disappointed. I couldn’t get over it. Since I woke up I kept thinking about the match. I was angry because I made some mistakes yesterday, so today I poured all that anger out on the court. But that’s not enough for me; I’ll work hard for the next four years to change the color of the medal.” The SU5 category is for athletes with upper limb impairments that can affect either the playing or non-playing hand.

Nitesh’s Journey: From Bedridden to Paralympic Podium == …

His victory on Monday was not only a personal triumph for him but also ensured India defended the SL3 gold that Pramod Bhagat won three years ago when badminton made its Paralympic debut in Tokyo.

The story of his journey from bedridden after an accident to the Paralympic podium is one marked by an indomitable spirit that drew inspiration from the most unlikely of places.

He discovered his love for badminton during his time at IIT-Mandi. Inspired by the humility of fellow para-shuttler Pramod Bhagat and the unyielding dedication of cricket star Kohli, Nitesh began rebuilding his life.

“Pramod bhaiya was an inspiration. Not only because he is so talented and experienced, but also because he is so humble as a human being,” he said.

“I also admire Virat Kohli for the way he has become a fit sportsman — similar to how he was before 2013 — and how fit and disciplined he is now.

Nitesh, the son of a naval officer, once dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and joining the defence forces. But an accident shattered those dreams.

A visit to the Endoprosthesis Centre in Pune, where he witnessed war veterans pushing themselves to their limits despite their injuries, reignited his determination to overcome his own challenges.

The Haryana Shutter player made his para-badminton debut at the 2016 Nationals in Faridabad, where he won a bronze medal. His international career continued with three medals, including a silver in singles, at the 2022 Asian Para Games.

Thulasimathi’s Journey of Resilience =========================== Thulasimathi was born with a congenital deformity that left her without the thumb on her left hand. She experienced numbness, tingling and weakness in her hand and arm, as well as loss of muscle mass.

Her problems were further exacerbated by a serious injury she sustained in an accident that limited the mobility of her left arm, affecting its extension and flexion.

Despite her disability, Thulasimathi’s sports adventure began at the age of five, and by the age of seven she was completely absorbed by badminton.

Her passion for sports grew, supported by her father, D. Murugesan, who trained her for five years. It was under his guidance that she learned para sports, a key moment in her career.

A significant achievement in Thulasimathi’s career was winning the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 category at the 2023 Canada Para Badminton International in Ottawa, alongside Manasi Joshi.

She also won three medals at the 2022 Asian Paralympic Games, including gold in the women’s singles.

Earlier in the day, second seeds Sivarajan Solaimalai and Nithua Sre Sumathy Sivan suffered a setback, losing 17-21, 12-21 to Indonesian pair Subhan and Rina Marlina in the SH6 mixed doubles bronze medal match. PTI ATK AH AH

This report is generated automatically by PTI news service. ThePrint is not responsible for its content.