Paralympic Silver medalist Bhavinaben Hasmukhbhai Patel became the first Para TT player to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games after she defeated Nigeria’s Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi by 12-10, 11-2, 11-9 in the women’s single class 3-5 final in Birmingham on Saturday.
Bhavinaben had a good start in the final against World No. 41 Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi of Nigeria. She took the opening game 12-10 in a close contest. She held her nerves to take the opening game. Bhavinaben was in tears after she realized the enormity of the achievement. She was trailing 2-9 in the third game but Bhavinaben produced a superb effort to win 8 straight points and the Gold medal. She became only the second para-athlete to win Gold after weightlifter Sudhir.
Bhavina reached the world No. 2 ranking by winning the silver medal in the individual category at the 2011 PTT Thailand Open.
Besides, she also won a silver medal in the women’s singles class 4 at the Asian Para Table Tennis Championships in Beijing in 2013.
In 2017, Bhavina bagged a bronze in the Asian Para Table Tennis Championships in Beijing. Sonalben Manubhai Patel also gave India a medal, claiming a bronze in women’s singles class 3-5.
The 34-year-old Indian beat England’s Sue Bailey 11-5 11-2 11-3 in the bronze medal play-off.
However, Raj Aravindan Alagar lost to Nigeria’s Isau Ogunkunle 0-3 in the men’s singles classes 3-5 bronze medal play-off.
Para powerlifter Sudhir had also won a gold medal after scripting a Commonwealth Games record in the men’s heavyweight.
In para table tennis, classes 1-5 are for wheelchair athletes.
On the other hand, Sonalben Patel won the bronze medal in Para Table Tennis in the Women’s Singles Classes 3-5 category. Sonal overwhelmed Sue Bailey in straight sets by 3-0 (11-5, 11-2, 11-3). There were chances for a historic all-India final in the women’s singles event, but it was not to be as India’s Sonalben Patel lost 3-1 against Nigeria’s Ifechukwude Christiana.