She became the first Indian table tennis player to secure a Paralympics medal.
Bhavina Patel’s incredible journey at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games came to an end on Sunday as she lost in straight games against world number one Zhou Ying of China in the women’s table tennis Class 4 final. On National Sports Day, Bhavina created history for India by becoming the first Indian table tennis player to win a medal in the Paralympic Games.
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The silver she won is India`s first medal at Tokyo 2020 and 13th overall — 4 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze. The 34-year-old, who gave India its first Paralympic medal in table tennis on Friday, made her international debut in 2009 in Jordan and earned her first medal in 2011, a silver, at the Para Table Tennis Thailand Open, after defeating her Chinese opponent.
From Sundyha village to #Tokyo2020
Bhavina Patel creates history for #IND at the #Paralympics.
Story: https://t.co/gOsbVATMYV pic.twitter.com/3yU1gPXtgL
— Paralympic Games (@Paralympics) August 29, 2021
Bhavina continued to try, working hard to improve her game and she finally bagged her first gold medal — in singles at the International Para Table Tennis Championship in Bangkok, Thailand in 2019.
She earned her maiden national title in Para Table Tennis Nationals in Bangalore in 2007 after three years of hard work and preparation, launching her on a path that has led her to Tokyo 2020 and a place in Indian Paralympic Games history as the first table tennis player to win a medal.
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