Paralympics 2024
Paralympics 2024 Badminton: Nitesh, Suhas Yathiraj qualify for semis
Nitesh Kumar and Suhas Yathiraj advanced to the semifinals, while Manasi Joshi, Manoj Sarkar faced defeats, ending their medal hopes.
It was a day of mixed results for India's para-badminton athletes at the Paris 2024 Paralympics after the first session, with Nitesh Kumar and Suhas Yathiraj securing their places in the semifinals, while Manasi Joshi, Manoj Sarkar, and Palak Kohli faced tough defeats, on Friday.
In the men’s SL3 category, Nitesh Kumar delivered a stellar performance to book his spot in the semifinals. He dominated his match against China’s Jianyuan Yang, winning in straight games 21-5, 21-11. This victory, following his earlier win, ensured Nitesh a spot in the semis.
Suhas Yathiraj also advanced to the semifinals in the men’s SL4 category with a composed and skillful display. He triumphed over South Korea’s Kyung Hwan Shin 26-24, 21-14. Suhas's strong showing in both of his matches allowed him to finish at the top of his group.
However, it was a challenging day for Manasi Joshi in the women’s SL3 category. She was narrowly defeated by Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna in a thrilling three-set match.
Manasi claimed the first set 21-10, but Kozyna fought back to win the next two sets 21-15, 23-21. This loss, her second of the tournament, unfortunately, ended Mansi's hopes of medal contention.
Manoj Sarkar also exited the Paris Paralympics after suffering a straight-game defeat in the men’s SL3 category against Thailand’s Mongkhon Bunsun. Manoj struggled throughout the match, losing 19-21, 8-21, which marked his second consecutive loss.
In the women’s SL4 category, Palak Kohli faced a tough opponent in Indonesia’s Leani Ratri Oktila. Despite a strong start with a 21-18 win in the first set, Palak was unable to maintain her lead, eventually losing 21-5, 21-13. With one win and one loss in the group stage, Palak’s chances of advancing now depend on the results of the remaining matches.