Bhagat, 33, is hopeful that with love and support, para athletes will win more medals at the Paris Paralympics in 2024.
India shuttler Pramod Bhagat with his gold medal during the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games in September. Pic/Getty Images
India’s Paralympic Games gold medal-winning shuttler Pramod Bhagat, who is the first Indian to be nominated in two categories for the BWF (Badminton World Federation) Player of the Year award, is overwhelmed with the recognition para athletes have got after a successful campaign in Tokyo.
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Bhagat, who beat Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell 21-14, 21-17 in the men’s singles SL3 (athletes with minor lower limb impairment) category final last September, has been nominated in the Male Para-Badminton Player of the Year and Para-Badminton Pair of the Year category along with doubles partner Manoj Sarkar, who won bronze in the men’s singles SL3 category during this year’s Paralympics. Bhagat, 33, is hopeful that with love and support, para athletes will win more medals at the Paris Paralympics in 2024.
Equal treatment
“It feels really nice. After winning the Olympic gold, people all over the world started recognising and appreciating us. Even the government started giving us equal treatment. We created history in Tokyo and I am confident that with this motivation, we will go beyond this [19 medals],” Bhagat told mid-day recently. The World No. 1 shuttler, who received the Khel Ratna award on Saturday, is confident of clinching another gold at the Paris Games.
‘Biggest achievement’
“Receiving the Khel Ratna, the highest sporting honour of the country, is my biggest achievement. This will encourage me to improve my game further. I want to make my nation proud, give my best and win gold again in 2024,” said Bhagat, who was struck by polio when he was five.
The eligibility period of BWF awards was extended for two seasons (November 1, 2019 to October 31, 2021) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bhagat underlined that he is confident of winning the award. “I have worked very hard in the last two-three years and won many tournaments. It was a golden time of my playing career, so I have high hopes. Hopefully, I’ll win at least in singles or doubles or maybe both.”
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