Delhi's Latika Triumphs in Khelo India Para Games Badminton
Delhi's accomplished star, Latika Thakur, made a strong impression on the opening day of the Khelo Para India Games, advancing to the semifinals in the badminton events. With numerous international medals to her name, Latika secured a decisive victory in the women's singles quarterfinals of the SU 5 category, defeating Riddhi Thacker 21-11, 21-8.
In a match in which both players showed plenty of enthusiasm, Latika rode on her experience to romp to a 16-minute victory at the gymnastics hall of the Indira Gandhi Stadium. Neeraj, from Haryana, was also in good form in the women’s singles (SL3) category, defeating Sanjana Kumari from Jharkhand in three long games. The end result for Neeraj was 17-21, 21-10, 21-13. 21-10, 21-13.
In the same category, Amudha Saravanan from Tamil Nadu also showed plenty of pluck to enter the semifinals. She defeated Sangeeta Yadav from Uttar Pradesh 21-5, 21-5. Conditions in the Capital are cold but the enthusiasm of the participating athletes from several states is high as the Para Khelo India Games are being held for the first time. For those who battle odds and want to compete in a sport like para-badminton on the first day, it was competitive all the way.
In a noteworthy performance, Tulika Jadhao of Maharashtra clinched a spot in the semifinals by securing a straight-game victory over Purnima Pandey from Uttar Pradesh. The inaugural day of the event saw a total of 66 matches unfold at the IG Stadium. With representation from 32 states and Union Territories, over 1400 participants are set to engage in the prestigious competition, which will unfold across three venues in New Delhi.
