New Delhi, Sep 22 (Badminton News) The Indian men's doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has pulled out of the Sudirman Cup mixed team championships on medical grounds.

The World no.10 pair was part of the 12-member Indian team announced by the Badminton Association of India for the prestigious event to be held from September 26 to October 3 in Finland.

"Chirag and Satwik have withdrawn on medical grounds as the former is not well," a BAI source told PTI.

"It is also uncertain if they will participate in the Thomas Cup which will be held after the Sudirman Cup. It will be subject to Chirag's recovery from illness." The nature of illness couldn't be ascertained as neither Chirag nor Satwik answered calls.

The Thomas and Uber Cup will be held from October 9 to 17 at Aarhus in Denmark.

Double Olympic medallist P V Sindhu had already requested not to be considered for the two events citing post Olympics recovery.

The Sudirman Cup will be the first BWF tournament to be held this year since the world body was forced to cancel or reschedule a number of events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Chirag and Satwik's absence, the onus will be on Dhruv Kapila and MR Arjun, who were the top-ranked doubles pair in the selection trials, to win India the men's doubles matches in the tournament, which comprises two singles and three doubles ties in a rubber.

The squad also comprises Kidambi Srikanth, B Sai Praneeth, women's doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy and youngsters such as Malvika Bansod, Aditi Bhatt, Tanisha Crasto, Rutuparna Panda.

The biennial tournament will see the Indian team competing against defending champions China, Thailand and hosts Finland in Group A. 

Also Read : BWF cancels Syed Modi International badminton tournament

News Source : PTI

New Delhi, Sep 9 (Badminton news): The Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament was on Thursday cancelled by the Badminton World Federation for the second year in a row.

The tournament, which was also cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was scheduled to be held in Lucknow from October 12 to 17.

"Further to August's announcement detailing updates to the BWF Tournament Calendar 2021, the Badminton World Federation (BWF) can confirm the Syed Modi India International 2021 is now cancelled," the apex body said in a statement.

BWF, which has had to cancel several tournaments due to COVID-19 complications and restrictions, however, did not specify the exact reason for calling off the tournament in India.

"Tournament organisers Badminton Association of India (BAI) made the decision in consultation and collaboration with local government authorities and the BWF.

"The BWF regrets the cancellation but remains committed to delivering a safe and structured series of badminton tournaments for the rest of the year including the culmination to the HSBC BWF World Tour," the statement read.

Last month, the governing body had cancelled the Korea Open (August 31- September 5), Macau Open (November 2 -7)and Taipei Open (September 7-12) due to "complications regarding the staging" of the event in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

China Open (September 21-26), Japan Open (September 28-October 3), Fuzhou China Open (November 9-14) and Hong Kong Open (November 16-21) were the other important events which were cancelled due to the global health crisis.

Also read: Multi-tasker Noida DM Suhas Yathiraj says his Paralympic silver shows sports and academics can co-exist

News source: PTI 

New Delhi, Sep 8 (Sports news) It's a misconception that sports and academics cannot be pursued simultaneously, says Noida District Magistrate and Paralympic silver medal-winning shuttler Suhas Yathiraj, basking in the glory of his unparalleled achievements which he credited to the inspiring role played by his late father.

The 38-year-old Suhas, who has an ankle deformity since birth, claimed the silver at the recent Tokyo Games, his maiden Paralympics since taking up the sport in 2016.

Speaking to PTI in an interview, the bureaucrat, who gave up a corporate job after clearing UPSC, said he is accustomed to striking a perfect balance between his job and his passion.

"Since my childhood days, I used to play sports for two hours, sports is part of my life along with studies. There is a misconception in the society that sports and studies can't go along together," he said.

"I would like to tell the parents and the society that forget that logic, your child can excel in both," Suhas, who was born in Karnataka's Hassan, added.

"In 2016 I played my first professional tournament, the Asian Championship in Beijing, where I got the gold medal and I think that was more or less the turning point in terms of professional badminton." Suhas, who has been DM of Azamgarh, Prayagraj and Hathras in his various stints, credited his late father Yathiraj L K for the success he has achieved and said it is after watching him play that he was inspired into the shuttle sport. Yathraj Senior was also a government officer.

"My deformity is congenital. I have had operations when I was a child to fix try and fix it. The challenge was always there in the childhood because we were not mature enough to understand good or bad etc.

"So you are very sensitive to what people speak, you are not even confident as to what you can achieve in life. But that is where my father's role comes into play, he gave me immense confidence in what I could do. So since childhood, I have been competing with able-bodied athletes," he said.

Suhas said he has always liked badminton and wanted to play the sport as a child.

"There is no specific inspiration behind getting into badminton, it was a sport that I always loved since childhood. But in south India, there is a concept of ball badminton, my father used to play ball badminton and I used to be fascinated with that.

"That is where I got fascinated with racquet sports," said the soft-spoken multi-tasker.

Suhas, an engineering graduate from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Suratkal, scripted history by becoming the first IAS officer to win a a Paralympic medal.

Since his appointment as the DM of Gautam Buddh Nagar on March 30, 2020, he was also been at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic management.

"...After 12th, I was fortunate to get into both MBBS and engineering, I got into the best engineering college of Karnataka that is NIT Suratkal. After that I got jobs in three MNCs but I felt that there is something lacking in my life.

"I always wanted to be a civil servant and after the tragic death of my father in 2005, I decided that I would pursue it. In 2006 I wrote the exams and at that time I was also working in a private MNC," he said.

Wasn't it a huge task to chase those IAS ambitions with an active job? "If you see in life, all things which are worthy of achieving or have some intrinsic value, they are all difficult. It's all about time management and those who have excelled at multitasking have one thing in common, they love love the task they they select." Talking about his training along side bureaucratic responsibilities, Suhas said: "During the peak of COVID I didn't train because there was absolutely no time. But the peak was for a certain period and my training was generally post 10pm at night.

"One needs to train for two hours generally and one hour in the morning for physical fitness. So that's more than sufficient. I was not in the national camp. I trained along with an Indonesian coach.

"He trained me specifically here in Greater Noida. He is my personal coach. He is based in India but a former Indonesian badminton player. His name is Gighi Duthree Belatame." He also praised the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme, which according to him, played a big role in the best-ever medals tally of 19 in the Paralympics.

"One of the best schemes of the government is TOPS and I am also a part of it. I think TOPS scehme is one of the reasons for the increased medals tally in the country," he said.

Also read: Dope violators eligible for national sports honours if ban period served: Sports Ministry

Talking about life after finding fame, Suhas said he would rather enjoy the moment than plan ahead.

"I want to live in the present moment. I don't want to think about anything else. I sometimes feel that if God has given me the gold, there wouldn't have been much left to achieve. So, I feel everything happens for a reason.

"I just want to cherish this moment and after sometime, give thought to anything else," Suhas added. 

News source: PTI

Tokyo, Sep 5 (Paralympics news): Overwhelmed by the performance of his wards at the Tokyo Paralympics, India's para badminton national coach Gaurav Khanna on Sunday said he could not have received a better gift this Teachers' day.

Indian shuttlers claimed four medals, including two gold, a silver and a bronze, at the Paralympics where badminton made its debut this year.

"There can't be a better gift then this. When I had got Dronacharya award, I had a feeling which I couldn't express but this Paralympics with these medals, the feeling is no less than that feeling. I'm overwhelmed," Khanna, said during a virtual press conference.

Khanna was bestowed with the Dronacharya Award last year.

"The targets have been achieved but I am a bit disappointed because I expected medals from Tarun (Dhillon) and Palak (Kohli). We will comeback and take it as a strong learning. If they had won the medals, then we could have delivered six medals." Asked about the future plans, Khanna said: "I am feeling like as a coach, my exam is over, the session is over, so what's next now? "The Olympic cycle is over, for the next Paralympic cycle, that is, for 2028, 2032 and 2036, we will have to look for youngsters. In few months, we will have Asian Youth Games, and I am hopeful we will produce good results.

"I am working on some new young and minor players like Palak, who is still young and has also performed outstandingly. I am sure the minor and young players will be in the limelight in few months time and shine like the Paralympic gold medallists." Khanna, who runs the Gaurav Khanna Excellia Badminton Academy (GKBA), said his academy has all the required facilities and it played a part in India winning so many medals.

"We have all facilities, dedicated courts. Sometimes there are issues with recovery when you play at this level. But now we have sports science, steam bath, ice bath, hydro theraphy, we have all. There has been a great bonding and our professional training have helped us to win the medals."

Also read: Bhagat-Kohli mixed doubles duo loses bronze medal match in Badminton at the Tokyo Paralympics

News source: PTI

Tokyo, Sep 5 (Paralympics news): The Indian mixed doubles duo of Pramod Bhagat and Palak Kohli suffered a narrow defeat at the hands of Japan's Daisuke Fujihara and Akiko Sugino in their bronze-medal play-off match of the Paralympics here on Sunday.

The Indian duo lost 21-23 19-21 to their Japanese opponents in the SL3-SU5 class final that lasted 37 minutes to end their campaign at fourth place.

They had earlier lost the semifinals 3-21 15-21 to te Indonesian combination of Hary Susanto and Leani Ratri Oktila.

The two pairs were neck-and-neck throughout the match. The Indians were 10-8 up in the first game but the Japanese came back strongly to level at 10-10.

After that, the score-line read 14-14, 18-18 and then 20-20. The Indians were up 21-20 but then eventually lost 21-23.

In the second game also, the two pairs were on equal footing and 10-10 at the midway point before the Japanese surged ahead to win 21-19 and pocket the bronze.

The 33-year-old Bhagat on Saturday claimed India's first badminton gold at the Paralympics in men's singles SL3 class.

It was 19-year-old Kohli's debut Paralympics.

In SL3 class, shuttlers with minor lower limb impairment play standing while players with upper limb impairment play standing in SL5.

Also read: Navdeep just misses out on a medal as he finished 4th in men's Javelin throw

News source: PTI 

Tokyo, Sep 5 (Paralympics news): Krishna Nagar on Sunday secured India's second gold medal in badminton at Tokyo Paralympics after notching a thrilling three-game win over Hong Kong's Chu Man Kai in the men's singles SH6 class final here.

The 22-year-old from Jaipur, seeded second, saw off his rival 21-17 16-21 21-17 in the final to retain his unbeaten run at the Games and join compatriot Pramod Bhagat in the gold medal winning list.

Bhagat had claimed the first gold in badminton in SL3 class on Saturday.

This was India's fifth gold at the Games.

Earlier, Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj ended his campaign with a historic silver after going down fighting against top seed Lucas Mazur of France in the men's singles SL4 class final.

The 38-year-old Noida district magistrate, who has an impairment in one of his ankles, produced an entertaining performance before narrowly going down 21-15 17-21 15-21 to two-time world champion Mazur in a 62-minute summit clash.

Also read: Suhas claims silver in badminton at the Tokyo Paralympics

News source: PTI

Tokyo, Sep 5 (Paralympic news): India's Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj ended his campaign with a historic silver after going down fighting against top seed Lucas Mazur of France in the men's singles SL4 class final at the Tokyo Paralympics here on Sunday.

The 38-year-old Noida district magistrate, who has an impairment in one of his ankles, produced an entertaining performance before narrowly going down 21-15 17-21 15-21 to two-time world champion Mazur in a 62-minute summit clash.

Suhas had lost to Mazur, who has won three gold medals in European Championships as well, in the qualifying group A match but the India made a tremendous effort in the final to challenge his world No. 1 rival.

The district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar (Noida) thus also became the first-ever IAS officer to win a medal at the Paralympics.

Suhas had earlier outwitted Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan 21-9 21-15 in the semifinal.

In SL4 bronze medal play-off, second seed Tarun Dhillon went down 17-21 11-21 to Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan in 32 minutes to miss out of a medal at the Totogi national stadium.

A computer engineer, Suhas went on to become an IAS officer and has been posted as a district magistrate of Noida since 2020, a role that saw him at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

On court, he has won gold medals at 2017 BWF Turkish Para badminton championship in men's singles and men's doubles. He also won gold in 2016 Asia championships, besides a bronze at 2018 Asian Para Games. More medals are in store for India as Krishna Nagar also sailed into the men's singles SH6 class final.

Pramod Bhagat, 33, and his partner Palak Kohli, 19, will meet Japanese pair of Daisuke Fujihara and Akiko Sugino in the bronze medal play off in mixed doubles SL3-SU5 class later on Sunday.

They had lost the semifinals 3-21 15-21 to Indonesian combination of Hary Susanto and Leani Ratri Oktila.

Bhagat on Saturday had claimed India's first gold at the Paralympics in men's singles SL3 class.

Also read: How the International Paralympics Committee stripped off medals from two Paralympic athletes

News source: PTI 

(Badminton news) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Pramod Bhagat has become the first Indian to win a Gold medal in Badminton Men’s Singles Class 3 at the Tokyo Paralympics. Pramod beat Daniel Bethell 21-14, 21- 17. Bethell at one point was leading 12-4 in the second game but the momentum quickly shifted as Pramod kept calm during the rallies and the scoreboard read 16-15 in favour of Pramod. Pramod also had Manoj Sarkar giving him company in court number 2.

Pramod had earlier beaten Bethell in the 2019 BWF Para Badminton World Championship final and also in the 2015 World Championship where Pramod won Gold and Bethell had to settle for a Bronze medal. Badminton is being featured for the first time in the Paralympics, India has now won 16 medals in the Tokyo Paralympics and will be looking to go higher as there are more medals events to come.

Also read: Paralympics bronze medallist archer Harvinder wants to crack UPSC Exam: coach

(Paralympic news) Para-Shuttler Manoj Sarkar has won the bronze medal in the badminton men's singles SL3 in Tokyo after defeating Daisuke Fujihara from japan in straight sets.

Sarkar started his campaign with a 2-1 loss to fellow countryman Pramod Bhagat. He came back with a 2-0 win over Uruguay's Oleksandr Chyrkov to qualify for the Semi-finals. In the Semi-finals Sarkar fell short against Daniel Bethell as he lost straight sets 21-8 and 21-10.

The first set was incredibly tight and went on for 27 minutes. The Indian had a 5 point lead at one point he ended up winning 22-20. In the 2nd set Sarkar dominated the court winning 21-13 to secure the Bronze medal. The win confirmed India's record 17th medal at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Also read: Manish Narwal and Singhraj win Gold and Silver medal at the Mixed 50m Pistol SH1 final at the Tokyo Paralympics
 

Tokyo, Sep 4 (Paralympic news) live update: Indian shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Suhas Yathiraj stormed into the men's singles finals of the badminton event in their respective classifications but Manoj Sarkar and Tarun Dhillon suffered contrasting losses in their semifinal match at the Tokyo Paralympics on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Bhagat, the current world no 1, secured a 21-11 21-16 win over Japan's Daisuke Fujihara in the first SL3 class semifinals that lasted 36 minutes.

The top seeded Indian, current world and Asian champion, will lock horns with Great Britain's Daniel Bethell in the summit clash later in the day.

In SL4 class, Suhas outwitted Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan 21-9 21-15 in 31 minutes in the first semifinal.

The Noida District Magistrate will face top seed Lucas Mazur of France in the final on Sunday.

Mazur managed to stave off a spirited effort from Tarun, claiming a narrow 21-16 16-21 21-18 win over the second seeded Indian in a gruelling semifinal that lasted an hour and three minutes at the Yoyogi National Stadium.

The 27-year-old from Hisar will face Setiawan in the bronze medal play off on Sunday.

Manoj too couldn't get into any sort of rhythm against second seeded Bethell, going down 8-21 10-21 in the other men's singles SL3 class semifinals.

The 31-year-old will now play Fujihara in the bronze medal play-off later in the day.

With only half of the court being used in this classification, Bhagat and Fujihara engaged in a lot of long rallies and the Indian came up on top most of the time.

Bhagat, the top seed, trailed 2-4 early in the opening game but a series of overhead drops helped him claw back. The duo were 8-8 before the Indian entered the interval at 11-8.

After the break, he continued his good run and eventually pocketed the opening game with six straight points.

It was a Bhagat show in the second game as well as the Indian led all the way to come up trumps.

Bhagat will pair up with Palak Kohli for their mixed doubles SL3-SU5 semifinals later in the day.

"It was a great game against Fujihara, he pushed me with some great shots. But I had a plan and I executed it very well. I am happy I have reached my maiden Paralympic finals but the work is not done yet," said Bhagat after his match.

Bhagat, who had developed a defect on his left leg after contracting polio at the age of 5, has won a total of 45 international medals, including four world championship gold medals.

He won two gold medals and a bronze in men's singles, besides two gold medals and a silver in men's doubles at the BWF Para World Championships in the last eight years.

In the 2019 edition at Basel, Bhagat had won gold medals in both singles and doubles events.

In the 2018 Asian Para Games, he won two medals -- a gold and a bronze. He topped it up with two gold medals and one silver at the IWAS World games in 2019.

He clinched two gold medals at the BWF Para World Badminton Championships in Basel, Switzerland in 2019.

This year, Bhagat had claimed two gold medals at the Dubai Para Badminton tournament in April when the sport returned after a year-long break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bhagat won the singles gold and also paired up with Manoj Sarkar to clinch the men's doubles gold in SL4-SL3 category.

In SL classification, persons with standing/lower limb impairment/severe are allowed to compete.

Also read: Soman Rana misses podium finish in Shot Put at the Tokyo Paralympics, Lakra and Ekta produce season bests in Club Throw

News Source: PTI

Tokyo, Sep 3 (Paralympics news)Live updates: India's Pramod Bhagat and his partner Palak Kohli qualified for the mixed doubles semifinals, while three singles players, including Noida District Magistrate Suhas Yathiraj, also made the last-four stage to continue a rampaging run at the Paralympics badminton competition here on Friday.

Bhagat, who had qualified for the men's singles SL3 event on Thursday, and Kohli beat Thailand's Siripong teamarrom and Nipada Saensupa 21-15 21-19 in a 29-minute clash to finish second in group B.

In men's singles, Suhas, Tarun Dhillon and Manoj Sarkar also made it to the semifinals on a fruitful day for India.

In SL4 class, Suhas, a world number 3, took 19 minutes to get rid of Indonesia's Hary Susanto 21-6 21-12 in group A, while Tarun, seeded second, recovered from a mid-game slump to outwit Korea's Shin Kyung Hwan 21-18 15-21 21-17 in a group B match.

Suhas will face France's top seed Lucas Mazur, while Tarun will cross swords with Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan later in the day.

In SL classification, persons with standing/lower limb impairment/severe are allowed to compete, while SU refers to athletes with upper limb impairment.

With two wins out of three matches so far in their respective groups, both Suhas and Tarun have qualified for semifinals and might face-off in the knockout stage.

Suhas has an impairment in one of his ankles, while Tarun has restricted knee movement following a severe injury that he suffered at the age of eight.

In SL3 class, Manoj secured a 21-16 21-9 victory over Ukraine's Oleksandr Chyrkov to make it to the knockout stage after finishing at the second spot in group A behind world no.1 Bhagat.

Also read: Paralympics: World number 1 Pramod Bhagat wins and enters the semifinals, mixed day for Kohli

The 31-year-old, who had contracted polio at one, suffered a loss to Bhagat in his opening match.

Earlier, Palak, 19, and Parul Parmar, 48, suffered their second successive loss in women's doubles SL3-SU5 group A, going down 12-21 20-22 to French pair of Lenaig Morin and Faustine Noel.

While Suhas hardly broke any sweat during his contest, Tarun had to toil hard to edge out Hwan, who recovered from an opening game reversal to grab the second game. 

News source: PTI

Tokyo, Sep 2 (Paralympics news) World No.1 Pramod Bhagat sailed into the men's singles semifinals after beating Ukraine's Oleksandr Chyrkov in his second group A match of the Tokyo Paralympics badminton event here on Thursday as the country's shuttlers expectedly produced strong performances.

The 33-year-old, also a reigning world champion, saw off Chyrkob 21-12 21-9 in 26 minutes to top his group and enter the last four in class SL3.

"I was in the groove today and played really well. Oleksandr Chyrkov is a good player and played some good strokes in the match. I am very happy that I have reached the semi-finals," Bhagat said.

"Things are going to be tough from here as the knock out stages start. My focus is on one match at a time and also the last league game of the mixed doubles which is a do-or-die situation for us." Bhagat and Palak Kohli will play Siripong Teamarrom and Nipada Saensupa in mixed doubles class SL3-SU5 on Friday.

Other Indian shuttlers, including Suhas Yathiraj, Tarun Dhillon and Krishna Nagar also had a good day in office as they opened their men's singles campaign impressively.

While Suhas and Tarun notched up easy victories over Germany's Jan Niklas Pott and Thailand's Siripong Teamarrom in SL4 class respectively, second seed Krishna outwitted Malaysia's Taresoh Didin in SH6 class.

Young Palak also overcame Turkey's Zehra Baglar in her second women's singles match of group A.

The 38-year-old Suhas took just 19 minutes to see off Pott 21-9 21-3 in a lopsided group A clash, while Tarun, 27, too didn't break a sweat, beating Teamarrom 21-7 21-13 in a group B match that lasted 23 minutes.

Krishna then prevailed 22-20 21-10 over Didin in a 33-minute group B match.

While Suhas will face Indonesia's Hary Susanto and then France's top seed Lucas Mazur on Friday, second seeded Tarun will be up against Korea's Shin Kyung Hwan and Indonesia's Fredy Setiawan.

The 22-year-old Krishna will take on Brazil's Vitor Goncalves Tavares on Friday.

Suhas, who has an impairment in one of his ankles, has been at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 menace as the district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Tarun, on the other hand, had sustained a severe knee injury while playing football at the age of eight, which resulted in restricted knee movement. He is the current world no.2 and a former two-time world champion.

Krishna, who has a short-stature impairment, is the world no 2 in SH6. He has won bronze and silver at 2019 World Championships in singles and doubles.

In SL classification, persons with standing/lower limb impairment/severe are allowed to compete, while SU refers to athletes with upper limb impairment.

In women's singles class SU5 class, Kohli beat Zehra 21-12 21-18 in 27 minutes. She had lost her opening match to Japan's Ayako Suzuki.

Earlier in the day, the 19-year-old Kohli and her partner Parul Parmar, 48, went down 7-21 5-21 to second seeded Chinese pair of Cheng Hefang and Ma Huihui in a group B women's doubles SL3-SU5 class match.

The Indian pair will square off against the French duo of Lenaig Morin and Faustine Noel on Friday.

Parmar, who competes in SL3 class, was no match for China's Cheng Hefang, losing 8-21 2-21 in 18 minutes in a women's singles group D match at the Yoyogi national stadium here.

Also read: India’s Tarun Dhillon defeats Thailand’s Teamarrom Siripong at the Tokyo Paralympics

Parmar will meet Germany's Katrin Seibert later in the day.

Suhas, who had qualified after the game's governing body BWF granted bipartite quotas to India, said he is looking forward to his match against top seed and title favourite Mazur on Friday.

"We have gone head-to-head on the circuit running up to the Paralympics and I have lost some and won some against him. It will be a good challenge," he said.

"Because of his height, his strokes come from a certain depth which generally you are not used to, but I have trained specifically for that. I am sure he will also specifically train for me." Suhas said he has specifically trained for his match against Mazur.

"My coach used to stand on a chair. I had to be mobile. My coach first used to give the shuttle to one position, and then another. A real match is different, but you do the best that you can," he said.

Badminton is making its debut at the Paralympics this year. 

News source: PTI 

Tokyo, Sep 2 (Paralympics news) live updates: Indian shuttlers Suhas Yathiraj and Tarun Dhillon made impressive starts to their campaign in men's singles SL4 class on the second day of the badminton competition at the Tokyo Paralympics here on Thursday.

The 38-year-old Suhas took just 19 minutes to see off Germany's Jan Niklas Pott 21-9 21-3 in a lopsided group A clash.

Tarun, 27, too didn't break a sweat, beating Thailand's Siripong Teamarrom 21-7 21-13 in a group B match that lasted 23 minutes.

While Suhas will face Indonesia's Hary Susanto next, Tarun will be up against Korea's Shin Kyung Hwan on Friday.

Suhas, who has an impairment in one of his ankles, has been at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 menace as the district magistrate of Gautam Buddh Nagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Tarun, on the other hand, had sustained a severe knee injury while playing football at the age of eight, which resulted in restricted movement in the knee. He is the current world no.2 and a former two-time world champion.

The SL class allowes persons with standing/lower limb impairment/severe are allowed to compete.

Also read: World number 1 Pramod Bhagat beats fellow Indian shuttler Manoj Sarkar

However, there was disappointment in store yet again for 19-year-old Palak Kohli and her partner Parul Parmar, 48, as the duo went down 7-21 5-21 to second seeded Chinese pair of Cheng Hefang and Ma Huihui in a group B women's doubles SL3-SU5 class match.

On Wednesday, world no 1 Pramod Bhagat, also the reigning world champion, outwitted fellow Indian Manoj Sarkar 21-10 21-23 21-9 in his men's singles group A class SL3 (standing/lower limb impairment/minor) opener.

But Kohli suffered a 4-21 7-21 loss to Japan's Ayako Suzuki in a group A women singles class SU5 (standing/upper limb impairment) match.

In mixed doubles, Kohli and Bhagat, competing in SL3-SU5 class, also went down fighting against their second seeded French opponents Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel 9-21 21-15 19-21 in group B opener. 

News source: PTI

(Badminton news) Tokyo Paralympic 2021 Live Update: Indian para-shuttler Tarun Dhillon defeated Thailand’s Teamarrom Siripong 21-7, 21-13 in the SL4 category at the Tokyo Paralympics. He started off strongly, winning the first game 21-7 in 10 minutes as Siripong could not keep up with Dhillon’s impressive play.

Teamarrom Siripong tried to force game 2 into a decider by making an inspired comeback, however Tarun Dhillon gave his opponent no opportunity to do so and won the second game 21-13 to wrap up the match in 23 minutes.

Also read: Prachi Yadav qualifies for Canoe sprint semifinal at the Tokyo Paralympics
 

(Badminton) Tokyo Paralympics 2021 Live Update: Suhas Yathiraj’s Tokyo Paralympics campaign began on a positive note as the Indian para-badminton player defeated Germany’s JN Potts 21-9, 21-3 in the Men’s Singles SL4 category.

Suhas wrapped up the first game 21-9 in just 9 minutes, the world number 3 was at his dominant best and wrapped up the second game 21-3 in 10 minutes. The 38 year old will face Indonesia’s Hary Susanto next.

Also read: World number 1 Pramod Bhagat beats fellow Indian shuttler Manoj Sarkar