Picture Credit: Twitter
It seems like the Indian contingent is willing to leave no stone unturned by bringing pride towards the nation in the Tokyo Paralympics 2020 Summer Games. After storming into the semi-finals yesterday, the 34-year-old paddler Bhavinaben Patel defeated China’s Miao Zhang to enter the final in the Class 4 segment. Fetching a chance to secure a gold medal for India, Patel was urged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to play without letting any pressure keep onto her shoulders in the final showdown.
Bhavinaben Patel beat the world no.3 7-11, 11-7, 11-4, 9-11 and 11-8 in the semi-finals. The blockbuster match lasted for more than 34 minutes, wherein the Indian paddler kept on forcing her opponent with fierce returns. However, in the final showdown on August 29, Bhavinaben Patel will lock horns against the world no.1 Ying Zhou representing China.
PM Modi congratulated Patel and motivated her by tweeting, “Congratulations Bhavina Patel! You played excellently. The entire nations is praying for your success and will be cheering for you tomorrow. Give your best and play without any pressure. Your accomplishments inspire the entire nation. #Paralympics.”
Talking about the semi-final clash, Patel had a nervous start courtesy to which she lost the first game. But her rigorous efforts kept making her Chinese opponent to keep making mistakes. As a result to which Bhavina Patel secured the next two games. But as things seemed comfortable, Zhang took the initiative to be the aggressor in stretching the match to the last game. In the deciding game, Patel composed herself taking a time-out after which she cruised to victory.
Safe to say that Patel has gone onto register her way into the finals the hard way as she initially won her Round of 16 game in straight sets. Then went onto beat the 2016 Rio Paralympics Gold Medalist and current world no.2 Serbia’s Borislava Peric-Rankovic in quarters, on the same day.
Having said that, Bhavina Patel has been a true inspiration to everyone in the country, not only is she the first paddler to ever secure an Olympic/Paralympic medal for India, but this will be India’s first medal in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Summer Games.