Tokyo Paralympics Badminton Draw: Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar handed easy draws as tricky opponents await Suhas Yathiraj and Parul-Palak

Tokyo Paralympics Badminton Draw: Pramod Bhagat, Krishna Nagar handed easy draws as tricky opponents await Suhas Yathiraj and Parul-Palak

Pramod Bhagat and Manoj Sarkar

The badminton draws for the Paralympics debut of the sport at the Tokyo Paralympics. The draws slotted the 32 participating para shuttlers into six groups. The SL3 and SH6 category along with women’s doubles SL3 and SU5 divisions will feature three players or teams in each group while the SL4 category sports four players in each group.

World no.1 Pramod Bhagat and compatriot Manoj Sarkar have been placed in group A. Ukraine’s Oleksandr Chyrkov completes the group with the Indian duo. Given Pramod and Manoj’s stature, it is expected to be a cakewalk for both of them to the medal games. The top two in every group will be battling for the maiden Paralympic medals of the sport.

Tokyo Paralympics Badminton Draw: Tricky draws for Yathiraj, Tarun and Parul-Palak

Tokyo Paralympics Badminton Draw, Palak Kohli and Parul Parmar
Palak Kohli and Parul Parmar

Among others, Indian shuttlers in the SL4 category, Tarun Dhillon and Suhas Yathiraj, have been dealt tough draws for their Paralympics debuts. Yathiraj, the World no. 3, finds himself in group A with top seed Lucas Mazur. The civil servant is not expected to make it to the medal matches. Tarun on the other hand is in group B with World no.4 Fredy Setiawan and sixth seed Kyung Hwan Shin.

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As for the only Indian doubles duo of Palak Kohli and Parul Parmar, they too find themselves in troubled waters. Placed in group B, Palak and Parul will be squaring off with top seeds He Fang Cheng and Hui Hui Ma and fifth-ranked Faustine Noel and Lenaig Morin. The Paralympics are all set to be a very eventful affair for the Indian pairing.

Also Read | Tokyo Paralympics: A look at Indian para badminton contingent’s journey to the top