Indian shuttlers Thulasimathi Murugesan and Manisha Ramadass clinched maiden silver and bronze medals respectively in women's singles SU5 category at the Paralympics. The 22-year-old Thulasimathi, the number one seed, put up a fight before going down 17-21 10-21 against China's defending champion Yang Qiuxia in the final.
Second seed Manisha, playing at the adjacent court, outplayed Denmark's Cathrine Rosengren, seeded third, 21-12 21-8 to claim the bronze medal. The SU5 category is for athletes with impairment on the upper limbs, which could be in the playing or the non playing hand.
India have clinched 11 medals in Paralympics including two gold, four silver and five bronze. India's Avani Lekhara was the first ever Indian athlete who clinched a gold medal for India in the 10-metre air rifle shooting standing SH1 title.
Earlier, Nitesh Kumar clinched his maiden gold medal in the ongoing Paris Paralympics 2024 beating Daniel Bethell from Great Britain in the men's singles SL3 badminton final. The 29-year-old from Haryana was rock solid in his defence and spot on with his shot selections as he beat Tokyo silver medallist Bethell 21-14 18-21 23-21 in an absorbing contest that lasted an hour and 20 minutes.
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SL3 class players, like Nitesh, compete with more severe lower limb disabilities, requiring them to play on a half-width court. Nitish lost his left leg in a train accident in Visakhapatnam in 2009 when he was just 15 but he recovered from the trauma and found his calling in para badminton.
Nitesh's victory on Monday ensured that India retained the SL3 gold after Pramod Bhagat clinched the title three years ago when para-badminton made its debut in Tokyo. India have clinched nine medals so far in the marquee event happening in Paris including two gold, three silver and four bronze.
In total India clinched three medals in Badminton including one gold, one silver and one bronze. India's last edition silver medallist shuttler Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj has also qualified for the final which means he confirmed at least silver medal.
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