New Delhi, Nov 9 (NationPress) India's para badminton athletes showcased an extraordinary performance at the Japan Para Badminton International 2025, with Pramod Bhagat at the forefront, capturing three gold medals across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles events. Following his lead, Tokyo Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar clinched two golds in both singles and mixed doubles, while Sukant Kadam secured gold in men's doubles and a silver in singles.

Pramod Bhagat emerged as the star of the tournament, achieving a remarkable feat by winning all three gold medals in his categories—men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles. In the SL3 singles final, Bhagat executed an impressive comeback after dropping the first set to Japan's Daisuke Fujihara. Despite being down 17-21 initially and facing a 16-19 deficit in the second set, he demonstrated exceptional resilience to level the match and then dominated the final set, securing victory with a scoreline of 17-21, 21-19, 21-10 in an intense match that lasted 1 hour and 33 minutes. In men’s doubles, Bhagat partnered with Sukant Kadam to triumph over fellow Indians Jagadesh Dilli and Naveen Sivakumar in a tightly contested three-set match (21-17, 18-21, 21-16). He completed his hat-trick of golds by winning the mixed doubles SL4-SU5 title alongside Manisha Ramadass, overcoming compatriots Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan 21-19, 21-19 in a closely fought contest lasting 29 minutes.

After achieving this triple victory, Pramod Bhagat remarked, “Winning three golds here in Japan holds immense significance for me. Competing in a country that values para badminton so deeply is always special. Each match was a test of my mental and physical strength, and I feel proud of how I managed the pressure. This triumph fuels my motivation for upcoming tournaments.”

Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Krishna Nagar reaffirmed his prowess by securing two gold medals—one in the SH6 men’s singles and the other in SH6 mixed doubles. In the singles final, Nagar overcame the USA's Miles Krajewski in straight sets, mounting a comeback from 11-17 in the first set to win it 22-20, before comfortably closing the second set 21-13. In mixed doubles, teaming up with Nithya Sre, Krishna added another gold to his collection, exhibiting his signature agility and tactical acumen on the court.

Expressing his excitement, Krishna Nagar stated, “I am elated with my performance this week. Each match was fiercely contested, and I had to put in a lot of effort, especially in the singles final. I am proud to bring honor to India once again and will strive to improve further.”

Sukant Kadam also had a commendable outing, earning a gold and a silver medal. He claimed gold with Pramod Bhagat in the men’s doubles (SL3-SL4) and secured silver in the SL4 singles, where he faced a tough challenge from fellow Indian Naveen Sivakumar.

Reflecting on his experience, Sukant Kadam mentioned, “This tournament was a significant test of consistency and teamwork. The doubles gold with Pramod was particularly meaningful, and the silver in singles drives me to work even harder. The overall performance of the Indian contingent highlights the strength of our para badminton ecosystem.”

India's strong campaign also included several other medal-winning achievements. Mandeep Kaur and Neeraj earned silver and bronze, respectively, in the women's SL3 category. In the women’s doubles SL3-SU5, Manasi Joshi and Thulasimathi Murugesan secured gold, while Neeraj–Arati and Sanjana Kumari–Shanthiya earned bronzes. Manasi Joshi and Ruthick Raghupati took home bronze in mixed doubles (SL3-SU5). Surya Kant won bronze in men’s SL4, while Thulasimathi, Manisha Ramadass, and Shanthiya swept gold, silver, and bronze, respectively, in the women’s SU5 category. Hardik Makkar and Ruthick Raghupati claimed silver in men’s doubles SU5, with Nithya Sre concluding India's medal tally with gold in women’s singles SH6.