Historic Paralympics silver for Gujarat’s Bhavina Patel

GANDHIDHAM, AUG 29: It was a momentous day for the country as Gujarat’s Bhavina Patel made her maiden Paralympic Games appearance a debut to remember as she became the first woman paddler to win a medal at the Games.

In the final of Women’s Singles Class 4, Bhavina once again fell short of World No.1 Ying Zhou of China as the World No. 12 Indian suffered a heart-breaking 7-11, 5-11, 6-11 loss on Sunday.

Incidentally, Bhavina’s only other loss came against the Chinese, during her opening match at the Para Games, who had now won her third title at the Games having previously won gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Games and 2012 London Games.

Riding high after her opening loss, Bhavina showed tremendous resilience in her wins over higher-ranked rivals on her way to the title showdown. The 34-year-old was determined to change the narrative in the final and she lived her words while matching stroke for stroke at the beginning. But it was not meant to be her day. Zhou was a seasoned campaigner at the grand stage and at 3-3, she broke away while maintaining the lead to pocket the first game.

Despite her fighting spirit, Bhavina found the going tough against her rival before losing the second game.

Sensing the anxiety in her debutant rival’s mind, Zhou went for the kill, mixing her shots and exploiting the angles well. As Bhavina was bogged down by the occasion as well as Zhou’s masterclass, she failed to make any adjustments before her rival sealed the fate of the match.

But the loss notwithstanding, Bhavina’s performance, as well as her fighting spirit, will serve as an inspiration for many.

“She was determined and it is her drive to overcome the obstacles that saw her finish on the podium here in Tokyo,” Bhavina’s bedrock of support and her husband Nakul Patel said after her match.

“It was a heartbreaking loss but I feel we have a lot to cheer about her performance. She is a living example of will and determination and her story will serve as an inspiration to many. I see her silver medal as a silver lining for many,” Gujarat State Table Tennis Association president Mr Vipul Mittra, IAS, said. “I want to congratulate her on her historic performance. She has not only made us proud but she made the whole country proud. I feel that this silver is just a stepping stone for many gold medals that, I am sure, will follow,” Mr Mittra added.