India Secures Six Gold Medals at Spanish Para-Badminton International
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Synopsis
In a remarkable display of skill, India's para badminton players brought home six gold medals and a silver from the Spanish Para-Badminton International 2025 – II in Vitoria, Spain, highlighting their growing prowess in the sport.
Key Takeaways
- Sukant Kadam led India with six golds.
- Outstanding performance in men's and mixed doubles.
- Nitesh Kumar and Nithyashre excelled in their categories.
- First major tournament of the 2025 season.
- Indian team shows promising strength for future competitions.
Vitoria (Spain), March 10 (NationPress) India’s para shuttlers showcased an exceptional performance at the Spanish Para-Badminton International 2025 – II held in Vitoria, Spain. Leading the team was Sukant Kadam, who helped secure six gold medals along with one silver.
Kadam triumphed over fellow Indian Tarun in the final, winning with scores of 21-13, 21-10 on Sunday night. In the semifinals, he defeated Naveen Sivakumar of India with a score of 21-11, 21-13. He maintained an unbeaten streak throughout the tournament, marking a stellar beginning to the new season.
After his victory, Sukant Kadam expressed, “I’m thrilled to commence 2025 with a gold medal. Every match here provided valuable lessons, and I’m pleased to have performed consistently. This win significantly motivates me for the upcoming season.”
India’s stronghold continued as Nitesh Kumar clinched gold in the SL3 category following a tough battle against Japan’s Fujihara, winning 21-19, 21-19. In the SH6 category, Nithyashre emerged victorious, defeating Poland’s Szmigiel to secure the top podium position.
In men’s doubles, Nitesh Kumar and Tarun narrowly beat India’s Jagadesh Dilli and Naveen Sivakumar in a thrilling three-set match, finishing 21-14, 23-25, 22-20. The mixed doubles also highlighted a robust Indian performance, with Krishna Nagar and Nithyashre defeating England’s Shephard and Choong with a solid 21-14, 21-11 victory in the SH6 category.
Nitesh Kumar, alongside Manisha Ramadass, secured yet another gold for India in the SL3-SU5 category, convincingly defeating Sweden’s Rickad Nillson and Denmark’s Hello Sofie Sagoy with scores of 21-9, 21-15.
Meanwhile, Alphia James fought valiantly in the women’s singles final but finished with a silver after losing to Switzerland’s Ilaria Olgiati.
The remarkable performance by the Indian team highlights their increasing strength and readiness as they venture into a significant competitive year in international para-badminton.
