Para-shuttler Manasi Joshi becomes the new badminton World No. 1

Ace para shuttler and 2019 World Para-Badminton champion Manasi Joshi has added a fresh feather to her cap by climbing up to the pole position of the BWF para-badminton rankings and claiming the World No. 1 spot in the Women's Singles SL3 category.

The software engineer turned para-badminton athlete is one of the most popular stars to grace the sport. At the recently concluded Spanish International II event, Manasi Joshi had an extremely rewarding outing and bagged the gold in the Women's Singles SL3 category, and two more silvers in the doubles and mixed doubles events.

Shortly after this achievement, Joshi also hoisted herself up the BWF Para-Badminton rankings to the perch spot thanks to these medal wins and took to her Twitter to share the joy. Coinciding with Women's Day further, this achievement comes as extra special to the 32-year-old.

With this feat, India now has two World No. 1's in para-badminton in the SL3 Singles category as Tokyo gold medallist Pramod Bhagat has been reigning at the top spot of Men's Singles for a while now, as well.

Joshi is a 3-time medallist from the World Para-Badminton Championships and has also been recognized by BBC as one of the 100 most inspirational and powerful women across the world in 2020 and was nominated for the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award 2020, alongside the likes of Olympic medallists PV Sindhu, Mary Kom.

While Joshi takes the top spot in the rankings now in the SL3 Women's Singles category, fellow Indian para-shuttler Parul Parmar is at the World No. 2 spot.

SL3 is the category in para-badminton where players have movement moderately affected on one side of the body, both legs, or has the absence of limbs. They play standing on a half-width court and have reduced court movement but a full range of shots.