Paris 2024 Paralympics: Nitesh Kumar triumphs over Daniel Bethell to win GOLD in Men's Singles SL3 badminton final event
The 29-year-old Nitesh Kumar, who is also the top seed uses a prosthetic on his left leg due to a tragic train accident during his college years.
Updated : September 02, 2024 05:37 PM ISTThe 29-year-old Nitesh Kumar, who is also the top seed uses a prosthetic on his left leg due to a tragic train accident during his college years.
Nitesh Kumar
What an end to the thrilling match at La Chapelle Court 1 between India's Nitesh Kumar and Daniel Bethell from Great Britain! The 29-year-old top seed, who uses a prosthetic on his left leg due to a tragic train accident during his college years, clinched the GOLD medal in the Men’s Singles SL3 badminton final against the English man who ranked No. 2.
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While Bethell had not lost a single game in the Paris 2024 Paralympics tournament until the final, Nitesh Kumar ended that streak with a win, scoring 21-14, 18-21, 23-21. This victory has earned India its second gold medal of the ongoing Paralympics and its ninth medal overall so far.
That 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 moment! 🤩
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) September 2, 2024
Watch Nitesh Kumar’s gold-medal-winning shot from the grueling 80-minute FINAL at the #ParalympicGamesParis2024.#ParalympicsOnJioCinema #JioCinemaSports #Paris2024 #Badminton pic.twitter.com/9pWlAhMEDq
The SL3 category features players with moderate movement restrictions in one or both limbs or those with limb loss. The game is played on a court half the width of a standard badminton court, with no restrictions on the shots played.
Both players, being highly seeded, engaged in long rallies throughout the match. After a closely contested first game, the Indian shuttler seized the momentum and won 21-14.
The second game was also competitive, but the 29-year-old Indian faltered in the final points, leading to a decisive third game. With a 19-16 lead in the final game, Nitesh was on the brink of victory, but Daniel kept the pressure on. The two exchanged match points before the Indian ultimately secured the win and the gold medal.
Earlier in the day, second-seed Sivarajan Solaimalai and Nithya Sre lost the bronze medal match and finished fourth. They lost in straight sets to Indonesia’s Subhan and Rina in the mixed doubles SH6 bronze medal match.