Paris Paralympics: Nitesh-Thulasimathi emerge victorious in all-India group stage clash

Paris [France], August 29 (ANI): The Indian mixed doubles para-badminton campaign at the ongoing Paris Paralympics started with an all-India clash in which the pair of Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan emerged victorious over the Suhas Yathiraj and Palak Kohli on Thursday.

Nitesh and Thulasimathi defeated Suhas and Palak by 2-0, winning both games by 21-14, 21-17.

The pair is placed in group A and will be playing three matches in total during the group stage in order to earn their knockout spot.

Earlier, India’s campaign in para-badminton competition at the ongoing Paris Olympics was off to a disappointing start as shuttlers Manasi Joshi and Mandeep Kaur registered losses in their women’s singles SL3 Group Stage first-round matches on Thursday.

Manasi, placed in Group A, the World Championships 2019 gold medalist, squared off against Indonesia’s Qontiah Ikhitar Syakuroh. Despite the Indian taking the first game, Syakuroh bounced back in the next two sets to beat Manasi (21-16, 13-21, 18-21) in the first round.

In the other women’s singles match, Group B’s Mandeep encountered a challenge from Nigeria’s Mariam Eniola Bolaji. Mandeep fell to Nigerian in two successive games by 8-21, and 14-21 to bow out of the competition.

Both Indian para-shuttlers have two matches each in their groups and they will have to win both in order to keep their knockout chances alive.

In women’s para-badminton, Palak Kohli, Thulasimathi Murugesan, Manisha Ramdass and Nithya Sre will be in action.

This year, India has sent its largest Paralympics contingent ever, comprising 84 athletes across 12 sports, a testament to the country’s expanding para-sports ecosystem. India’s participation in the Paris 2024 Paralympics marks not only a significant increase in numbers but also in medal hopes, as the nation aims to surpass its previous achievements in Tokyo.

In the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the Indian badminton contingent secured a total of four medals, including two gold, a silver and a bronze medal each.

Tokyo 2020 was India’s most successful Paralympic Games, with the country winning 19 medals, including five golds, eight silver and six bronzes.