Indian shuttlers eager to mak their mark at Paralympics ’20
Before their training base was shifted to the Gaurav Khanna Excellia Badminton Academy on the outskirts of Lucknow, a giant hoarding of London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal at the UP Badminton Academy was a “big inspiration” to all seven Tokyobound para shuttlers.
Now, they have found new inspiration in PV Sindhu’s bronze medal success at the Tokyo Olympics.
Two Olympic medallists make for a pretty potent source of motivation for India’s para-shuttlers, who have begun the final phase of their training for the Tokyo Paralympics, starting August 24. Their 12-day strict quarantine begins on Sunday at the Sports Authority of India’s centre here, but they will continue their training at the Excellia Academy.
A chartered bus will ferry these shuttlers and the support staff from the SAI centre to the academy daily.
“Quarantine is mandatory for all of us, but at the same time no one wants to miss training, so we have created our own bio-secure bubble. Everyone, including the support staff and bus staff, would be covered under this,” chief coach Gaurav Khanna said on Thursday. “It’s time for our para-shuttlers to make their presence felt at Tokyo and everyone is committed to making a mark on their maiden appearance at the Games. We will come moment of Sindhu’s matches,” Khanna said.
Out of seven badminton events in which Indians are due to participate at the Tokyo Paralympics, they can expect medals in at least five—including one from world No.1 para-shuttler Pramod Bhagat, who would be competing both in the singles and mixed doubles with Palak Kohli. Others in the seven member team include Manoj Sarkar, Tarun Dhillon, Suhas Yathiraj, who is also the District Magistrate of Noida, Krishna Nagar and Parul Parmar.
Bhagat, 33, who hails from Attabira in Bargarh district of Odisha, has been a consistent performer since 2013 when he bronze at the 2018 Jakarta A Para Games, are testimony t successful run in the sport.
Bhagat is still hungry and that only after winning a medal at the Tokyo Paralym he can think of taking a br “Badminton is going to mak first mark at the Paralym and I am raring to go for my big gold medal at Tokyo. tainly, the expectations are high from our para-shutt and especially from me. It’s going to be easy but I am w ing hard here at the camp an aim to win a gold. My m focus would on the singles. S has been my inspiration s long, and Sindhu’s show bo 2016 and the 2020 Olym