Tokyo Paralympics silver medalist Bhavina Patel is determined to upgrade her medal to gold at the upcoming Paris Paralympics, which commence on August 28. Patel, who became the first Indian paddler to win a medal in the Class 4 event at Tokyo, expressed her confidence in challenging the dominance of Chinese opponents.
“Chinese players are humans, and so are we,” Patel asserted. “China does not matter to me. I have beaten a Chinese player before, so there’s no pressure on me to face them. I have changed my tactics accordingly and will deploy my best plans against them.”
Patel, a Commonwealth Games champion and Asian Games medalist, emphasized her focus on giving her best. “There is no nervousness. I just have to give my best. When we think about giving our best, nothing else comes to mind,” she said.
Her doubles partner, Sonalben Patel, echoed her sentiments, stating, “Bhavina and I have put in a double amount of effort in our training as partners. We will try our utmost to return home with a medal.”
Tokyo Paralympics gold medalist in men’s singles badminton SH6 event, Krishna Nagar, expressed his aim to replicate his performance. “I hope everything will be fine in Paris, and I will try to win gold for India again. I will give it my all to defend my gold from Tokyo. Preparations went well, I feel positive, and will look to play safe,” he said.
Debutant shot putter Sachin Khilari set high expectations for himself. “There is a lot of excitement in me. I have been preparing for the Paralympics for 1.5 years. I performed well at the World Championship, and I expect a gold medal out of myself because I have worked hard to earn it,” he said.
Discus throw athlete Sakshi Kasana, also making her debut, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity. “I have worked tirelessly hard for this moment to come true. Representing your nation at the Paralympics is the biggest thing for any athlete, so I hope my four years of hard work pays off.”
PCI President and legendary para javelin thrower Devendra Jhajharia predicted a strong performance from India. “I have 20 years of experience in para sports. I have taken 3 medals. I know each player and their performances individually. We have received support from PM Modi, and 50 players from the TOPS scheme are going,” he said.
“Many players got help under CSR activity. We will be winning more than 25 medals. India will be in the top 20 in the medal tally.” Jhajharia also expressed confidence in Sumit Antil defending his gold medal. “Sumit will definitely defend his gold medal. He is fit, not under any kind of injury, and has a high level of confidence in himself. The national anthem will definitely be played, and Sumit will win gold,” Jhajharia said.
India has sent an 84-member team, the largest ever for Paralympics, to Paris, where the Games will be held from August 28 to September 8.
