Para legend Pramod Bhagat matches able-bodied icon Lin Dan’s count of 5 World championships; defeats arch rival Bethell 14-21, 21-15, 21-14 at Thailand | Badminton News
Pramod Bhagat rallied from a set down to win a mammoth 100 minute battle against Englishman Daniel Bethell 14-21, 21-15, 21-14 at the Para World Championships in Thailand.
The para legend, in the process, equalled Lin Dan’s mark of 5 World titles amongst able-bodied champs, and became the first para shuttler to secure 3 consecutive wins, in SL3 category with the longest para Worlds final.
The versatile Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj picked his first World title in SL4, with a straight sets 21-18, 21-18 win over Indonesian Fredy Setiawan.
In SH6 category, the pugnacious Krishna Nagar got the day’s finest win over Chinese Lin Naili, taking the title 22-20, 22-20, his fourth Worlds medal, and a precious gold.
India’s 35-year-old para-hero in the SL3 category over the last 8 losses spanning Spain, Bahrain, Canada and Thailand, has realised just how challenging it is going to get against Bethell who’s thirsting for a Para Games gold medal that Bhagat won. (BWF Badminton)
India finished with 3 gold, 4 silver and 11 bronze, a total of 18 medals across categories.
‘Toughest physically and mentally’
Bhagat, the Odiya shuttler who also won 2 bronze in men’s Doubles with Sukant Kadam and mixed doubles with Manisha Ramadass, took his career tally to 14 World Championship medals, which includes 6 gold, 3 silver, 5 bronze in all categories.
The 35-year-old completed a winning span of 15 years of gold medals, won in 2009, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2024.
Bhagat had lost to Bethell 8 of the last 9 times, and there were questions over whether his global domination of big events was coming to a close. “I have managed to equal my idol Lin Dan’s record of 5 world championships and second being having been able to retain 3 consecutive world championships,” he said.
“This match with Bethell would be my toughest both mentally and physically. I have not been playing well against Bethell past few months and this was my time to prove doubters wrong. The match was exhaustive and Bethell played brilliantly but somehow, I managed to pull out a win,” he described.
Bhagat started the match strongly with early flurry of points, but the southpaw Englishman made a commendable comeback to take the opener 21-14. Both finals defended stubbornly as rallies got longer. Bethell’s chest-level smashes had been troubling Bhagat in the past few matches, but he used his backhand deception on straight pushes expertly to push back the Englishman. Drawing out errors he levelled the set score for 21-15.
Bhagat varied his pace significantly in the third, and stole a lead over Bethell in the decider and got a tight net dribble winner to claim the match.
