Indian para-badminton star Sukant Kadam reached a landmark he had long promised himself — a tally of 100 international medals — at the Japan Para Badminton International on Sunday, 13 September 2026, claiming two silver medals to complete the milestone. Yet the World No. 2 SL4 player was already training his sights on the next challenge: the Asian Games.

How the 100th Medal Was Won

The 31-year-old from Pune reached his century in contrasting fashion across two finals. In the men's singles SL4, he finished runner-up, going down 21-8, 21-16 to France's Lucas Mazur. Hours later, he partnered Pramod Bhagat in the men's doubles SL3-SU5 final, where the Indian pair lost 21-5, 21-15 to Indonesia's Hikmat Ramdani and Fredy Setiawan. Together, the two silvers pushed Kadam's career haul to exactly 100 medals.

A Promise Years in the Making

'I made my international debut in 2014 with a dream in my heart. In 2016, I won my first BWF Para Badminton International medal. And today, in 2026, after years of victories, defeats, injuries, doubts, sacrifices, comebacks and countless hours on the court… Medal No. 100. What started as a dream slowly became a mission. And #DreamOf100 became a promise I made to myself — to keep pushing until I reached this moment,' Kadam said.

The journey began far from the international circuit. A cricket injury at the age of 10, followed by multiple surgeries, left Kadam unable to bend his left knee. It was Girisha Nagarajegowda's silver medal at the 2012 London Paralympics that pointed him towards para-sport, and eventually para-badminton.

The Support Behind the Milestone

Based in Pune, Kadam trains under Olympian Nikhil Kanitkar and his coaching team at NKBA. He was emphatic that the achievement belonged to those around him. 'No athlete reaches a milestone like this alone. A heartfelt thank you to my coaches Nikhil Kanitkar and Mayank Gole for believing in me, standing by me, challenging me and guiding me in the best ways possible,' he said. He also expressed gratitude to the Sports Authority of India, the Government of Maharashtra, the Badminton Association of India, the Paralympic Committee of India, and Olympic Gold Quest for their sustained backing.

Focus Already Shifts to Asian Games

The landmark has not altered Kadam's immediate priorities. He described the Japan campaign as a stepping stone rather than a destination. 'The 100th medal is a very special milestone, but for me, it is another step in the journey. My focus now is on the Asian Games. I want to take the confidence from this tournament, continue working hard and give my best for India when it matters most,' he said.

Notably, the milestone caps a career that has been shaped as much by adversity as by achievement — from a childhood injury that ended his cricketing ambitions to a decade-long climb to the summit of world para-badminton. For Kadam, the century of medals is a checkpoint, not a conclusion.