Suhas Yathiraj Achieves Silver Medal in Men’s Singles Badminton at Paris 2024 Paralympics
In a commendable performance at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, Suhas Yathiraj secured a silver medal for India in the men’s singles badminton SL4 class. On Monday, Yathiraj faced off against the French athlete Lucas Mazur, ultimately falling short in straight games, with scores of 21-9 and 21-13, completing the match in a mere 34 minutes.
This encounter marked a rematch of the final from the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where Yathiraj, aged 41, had also contended against Mazur, but under different circumstances. The previous final was notably more competitive, with Yathiraj losing in three games. It is worth noting that Yathiraj, who has a significant ankle impairment, has had a distinguished career, juxtaposing his achievements in sports with his professional role as an official within the Indian Administrative Service and his educational background in computer engineering.
Athletes competing in the SL4 classification exhibit lower limb impairments alongside minor challenges with balance while walking or running, thereby creating a unique competitive landscape distinct from the SL3 class. The silver medal earned by Yathiraj contributed to India’s overall success at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, marking the country’s fourth badminton medal of the event, all of which were achieved on the same day. Notably, Nitesh Kumar earlier claimed gold in the men’s singles SL3 class on this remarkable day.
With Yathiraj’s achievement, India now boasts a total of 12 medals at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, which is a significant milestone, as this is only the second instance where India has surpassed the 10-medal threshold in the history of the Paralympics. The country’s outstanding performance previously peaked at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, where they garnered a remarkable 19 medals.
Furthermore, Suhas Yathiraj has made history by becoming the first Indian badminton player to secure medals in both the Tokyo 2020 and the Paris 2024 Paralympics. In a parallel event, his fellow countryman Sukant Kadam faced a defeat in the bronze medal match against the third seed Fredy Setiawan, with scores of 21-17 and 21-18, reflecting the competitive spirit prevailing within this sport.
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