Bhavinaben Patel on Friday scripted history by becoming the primary Indian table game player to secure a medal within the Paralympics after she entered the semi-finals with a shocking straight-game convince Rio 2016 Paralympics champion Borislava Peric-Rankovic of Serbia within the women’s singles Class 4 event. The 34-year-old Indian beat her Serbian opponent 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 in a very quarterfinal match that lasted 18 minutes. She takes on Zhang Miao of China within the semi-finals on Saturday, but she is guaranteed of a minimum of a bronze.
There is no palm play-off in Tokyo Paralympics Ping-Pong, and both losing semi-finalists are guaranteed of a prize.
“It is bound that we are able to see a medal from her. Tomorrow morning’s match (semifinal) could be a huge decider what colour of the medal she’s going to win,” Paralympic Committee of India president Deepa Malik said in an exceedingly video footage on her Twitter handle.
In 2017, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) board had approved the International Ping-Pong Federation’s request to get rid of the third-place play-off altogether the medal events and award bronze to both the losing semi-finalists.
Earlier within the day, Bhavinaben had beaten Joyce de Oliveira of Brazil 12-10, 13-11, 11-6 in Round of 16 to become the primary Indian table game player to succeed in the quarterfinals at the Paralympics.
Athletes in school 4 category have fair sitting balance and fully functional arms and hands. Their impairment is also because of a lower spinal-cord lesion or spastic paralysis.
“I could win my semifinal match thanks to the support of the people of India. Please keep supporting me in order that I can win my semifinal match,” Bhavinaben Patel said after the quarterfinal match.
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She had entered the knockout round after winning one match and losing the opposite group game. Compatriot Sonalben Manubhai Patel had lost both her group matches on Thursday to bow out of the competition.
