Mandeep Kaur won a bronze medal at the 2022 Para Asian Games.
Mandeep Kaur, the rising star of Indian Paralympic badminton, will make her Paralympic debut against Nigeria’s Marian Eniola Bolaji at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games on August 29.
But did you know that Mandeep wasn’t a parabadminton player from the beginning? In fact, Kaur’s career began in arm wrestling, a sport that she found quite difficult due to her physical condition.
“When I started arm wrestling, I couldn’t walk properly. I had to put my hands on my knees to walk,” she recalls. Despite her success, the lack of Olympic recognition for arm wrestling led her to consider other options.
The turning point came in June 2018, when Kaur had surgery to straighten her legs. “I had the surgery in June 2018, and within the next two months, I was able to walk properly with the help of calipers,” she explains. This improvement in mobility opened new doors for her.
Kaur was inspired to take up badminton by Manoj Sarkar, a renowned parabadminton player from her state. “Manoj Sarkar is from my state. When I came back, he was WR1. He inspired me to take up badminton,” she says. Her transition was quick and successful, and she won a bronze medal at a national championship in late 2018.
Competing in SL3 category parabadminton, Kaur faces a unique challenge. “In my category, I think I have a bigger handicap than other competitors. They can jump and run, but my legs are always straight because of the tempo. I have to drag my legs to move,” she explains. However, she believes her excellent stroke play compensates for her limited mobility.
Kaur’s training at Gaurav Khanna Academy was instrumental in her development. “The gym is like home to me,” she says, praising the comprehensive facilities available. Her dedication extends to maintaining a strict diet and training regime, and understanding the impact it has on her performance.
Kaur looks back on her journey and acknowledges the sacrifices she has made and the support she has received. “All those sacrifices have definitely paid off,” she says. She credits her family, coach Gaurav Khanna, and the Welspun Foundation for her success.
“If I have to say anything significant in my career, it would be thanks to my family, coach Gaurav Khanna and Welspun Foundation who have supported my journey since 2021 and helped me participate in all the tournaments I had planned.”
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2024-08-29 03:37:12