Para-shuttler pair on cloud nine after getting Tokyo berths
The age difference between Palak Kohli and Parul Parmar is such that Kohli calls Parmar her “Didi”, but the on-court camaraderie between the two is an inspiration to watch.
While Parmar (49) keeps a close vigil at the nets, Kohli (18) takes the trouble to pick the shuttle even from deep corners and hit it well, dodging the opposition.
Four international titles since 2019 between the two speak volumes of their talent. Their status as one of the top pairs in world para badminton was confirmed late on Friday evening when the two got official intimation from the world body BWF about their qualification for the Tokyo Paralympics.
“Since April last year when the Games were postponed, we were waiting for this to happen,” says Parmar who accepts that the off-court friendship with Kohli helps the two become a strong pair capable of taking on any opposition in the world.
“How the two gel with each other makes a lot of difference to a doubles pair. We try to cover each other on court during play. Off-court, too, we discuss the game and other things which help us improve our bonding as players,” adds Parmar.
In fact, the two have become the first Indian para shuttlers to qualify for Tokyo Paralympics. They achieved the qualification for the SL3-SU5 women’s doubles event in parabadminton which will be making its debut in this year’s Paralympics.
“It’s like a dream come true. I am thrilled and excited that finally we have made it to the Tokyo Games,” says Kohli, the youngest para-badminton player in the world to qualify for the Paralympics.
Both Parul and Palak were greeted with a series of congratulations on Saturday morning as soon as the two made it to the Gaurav Khanna Excellia Badminton Academy here in Omexe City on the outskirts of the state capital.
“Things changed suddenly and now I feel that I have achieved my first success by qualifying for the mega event, and now need to finish at the podium,” says Kohli.
She says despite the lockdown, she never stopped training.
“I didn’t go home even when the country went for a complete lockdown (in March 2020) and kept training hard here at a court which we had established in a nearby park in the open. I knew that hard work would pay rich dividends one day and this is what I have achieved now.”
Both Parmar and Kohli are currently ranked sixth in the world.
“Due to travel restrictions, we missed participation in the Spanish Open early this month, but we are training hard in a bio-secure bubble here. Khanna Sir is here to train us and is taking good care of all the team members,” she says.
“It’s really the outcome of our hard work in Lucknow for the last two years.
Despite the odds, we didn’t stop training even though we had to shift our training base from Guru Gobind Singh Sports College to UP Badminton Academy and now to the Excellia Badminton Academy here,” coach Gaurav Khanna says.
“Hoping to have more intimation about the qualifying of four to six more Indians shuttlers for the Paralympics. The pandemic has been difficult on all of us, but this news has brought some positivity.
We now have to prepare keeping in mind the level of difficulties the Paralympics will have for us, and the work gets somewhat easier for us by having a dedicated training facility,” says Khanna.
He, however, says that after making it to the SL3-SU5 women’s doubles event, Palak now awaits a call in the SU5 Singles category where she’s currently ranked number 11 in the world.
“I am very sure of playing in the singles also at the Paralympics,” says Kohli, who along with others in the camp got vaccinated on Friday.
“Besides focusing on training, we need to stay safe as the pandemic is very scary. I got my first shot of vaccination yesterday (Friday) and hope things will remain fine in future also,” she says.
IN FACT, THE TWO HAVE BECOME THE FIRST INDIAN PARA SHUTTLERS TO QUALIFY FOR TOKYO PARALYMPICS.