Nitesh Kumar won India its second gold medal at the Paris Paralympics by defeating Daniel Bethell of Great Britain in the men’s singles SL3 badminton final. The match was highly competitive, featuring the top two seeds in the category, and lasted for an hour and 20 minutes. Nitesh, the higher-seeded player, won in a three-game thriller with scores of 21-14, 18-21, and 23-21. This victory marks Nitesh’s first Paralympic medal.

This gold medal is also India’s third Paralympic medal in badminton, with all previous medals being gold as well. In the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Pramod Bhagat (SL3) and Krishna Nagar (SH6) both won gold medals for India.

The SL3 classification is for players who have moderate mobility challenges on one side of their body, in both legs, or due to limb absence. These athletes compete standing on a half-width court but have full shot-making capabilities.

Nitesh started strong, winning the first game 21-14 with excellent defense and well-timed smashes. However, Bethell fought back in the second game, tying the match by winning 21-18. The final game was a test of endurance and strategy, with both players exchanging leads. In a tense finish, Nitesh managed to secure the last two points to win the match and the gold medal.