Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan:<\/b> India's Nitesh Kumar and Thulasimathi Murugesan clinched silver in the Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 category at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Para Games here on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Indian pair lost 21-11, 19-21, 14-21 to Indonesia\u2019s Leani Ratri Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani in the final to take the silver.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The Indian pair dominated the opening game 21-11 but narrowly lost the second 19-21 before going down 14-21 in the decider. Despite the defeat, Nitesh and Thulasimathi displayed tremendous fighting spirit, pushing their Indonesian opponents in a closely contested battle for gold.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Thulasimathi is still in contention for the gold medal, as she will be in action in the women's doubles SL3-SU5 final with Manasi Girishchandra Joshi to take on China's Yang Qiuxia and Xiao Zuxian. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier in the day, Thulasi bagged a silver medal after losing the women's singles SU5 final to Yang of China 21-18, 21-21-11, while Nitesh defeated compatriot Pramod Bhagat, who had won gold in the 2018 and 2022 editions, 21-18, 21-16 in the all-India final between two Paralympic champions to win the gold medals in the men's singles SL4 category.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In another match, Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan signed off with silver after losing 12-21, 13-21 to China's Li Fengmei in the women's singles SH6 final.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In para badminton, SL3 is for players with significant lower-limb impairments who compete on a half court, while SL4 is for athletes with lower-limb impairments who have better walking and running balance. SU5 is for players with upper-limb impairments, while SH6 is for athletes with short stature.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India arrived in Aichi-Nagoya after their best-ever Asian Para Games campaign at Hangzhou 2023, where Indian athletes won a record 111 medals - 29 gold, 31 silver and 51 bronze - to finish fifth overall.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In para badminton, SL3 is for players with significant lower-limb impairments who compete on a half court, while SL4 is for athletes with lower-limb impairments who have better walking and running balance. SU5 is for players with upper-limb impairments, while SH6 is for athletes with short stature.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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