SHUTTLER BHAGAT REACHES SEMIFINALS IN TOKYO PARALYMPICS

LUCKNOW: Ace para shuttler Pramod Bhagat was emotional as well as confident last week as he left Lucknow for Tokyo, the five-time world champion (including at the last edition) finally getting a chance at the Paralympics, where badminton was making its debut. “It’s the biggest-ever opportunity of my life in sport, and I am confident of a gold medal,” he had said at the Gaurav Khanna Excellia Badminton Academy here.

He took a step in that direction on Thursday when he beat Ukraine’s Oleksandr Chyrkov 21-12, 21-9 in the SL3 category (lower limb impairment) to book a place in the semi-finals. “I was sure about Bhagat’s success and it’s yet another step forward towards his gold-medal mission at the Games,” coach Gaurav Khanna said.

Bhagat, who had a thrilling 2-1 win against compatriot Manoj Sarkar on Wednesday, was on target from the start. He won five consecutive points to take a nine-point lead in the first game, leaving Chyrkov gasping for a response to Bhagat’s sharp returns to the edges. Things didn’t change much in the second game as Bhagat continued to dominate, winning it 21-9. The match lasted 26 minutes.

India’s other badminton players tasted success too.

After facing three defeats at the Games, 19-year-old Palak Kohli won her first match in the women’s SU5 Group (upper limb impairment), defeating Turkey’s Zahra Balgar 21-12, 21-18. In the SH6 category.

Krishna Nagar beat Malaysian Didin Taresoh 22-20, 21-10 in the SH6 (short stature) event to also reach the semis.