Vitoria
, March 10 (IANS) India’s para shuttlers delivered an outstanding performance in the Spanish Para-Badminton International 2025 – II in Vitoria, Spain, with Sukant Kadam leading the charge, as they bagged six gold medals and a silver.
Kadam defeated fellow Indian Tarun in the final with a score of 21-13, 21-10 in the final played on Sunday night. In the semifinal, he had overpowered India’s Naveen Sivakumar 21-11, 21-13. He remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, making it a perfect and promising start to the new season.
Speaking after his win, Sukant Kadam said, “I’m happy to start 2025 with a gold medal. Every match here was a learning experience, and I’m glad I could perform consistently. This win gives me great motivation for the rest of the season.â€
India’s dominance continued with Nitesh Kumar securing gold in the SL3 category after a hard-fought match against Japan’s Fujihara, winning 21-19, 21-19. In the SH6 category, Nithyashre emerged victorious, defeating Poland’s Szmigiel in the final to claim the top spot on the podium.
In the men’s doubles, Nitesh Kumar and Tarun edged past India’s Jagadesh Dilli and Naveen Sivakumar in a thrilling three-set encounter, winning 21-14, 23-25, 22-20. The mixed doubles events also saw a strong Indian performance. Krishna Nagar and Nithyashre triumphed over England’s Shephard and Choong with a dominant 21-14, 21-11 victory to clinch gold in the SH6 category.
Nitesh Kumar, pairing with Manisha Ramadass, added another gold to India’s tally in the SL3-SU5 category, defeating Sweden’s Rickad Nillson and Denmark’s Hello Sofie Sagoy with a convincing score of 21-9, 21-15.
Meanwhile, Alphia James fought hard in the women’s singles final but had to settle for silver after going down to Switzerland’s Ilaria Olgiati.
The stellar performance by the Indian contingent reflects their growing strength and preparedness as they embark on an important competitive year in international para-badminton.
- IANS