Tokyo Paralympic table tennis silver medalist Bhavina Patel is determined to go one better against her Chinese rivals at the Paris 2024 Paralympics from August 28.
The first Indian rower to win a medal in Class 4, Bhavina had said before this year’s edition that she wanted to challenge China’s dominance of table tennis, which is “the people”.
Bhavina said. PTI Videos “Chinese players are people and so are we. China doesn’t matter to me, I even beat a Chinese player during the Tokyo edition so I don’t feel any pressure to face them. I have changed my phone according to them so I will lay my best plans against them on the day,” she said on Sunday.
A table tennis player from Mehsana, a Commonwealth Games champion and Asian Games medalist from Gujarat, her only focus is to give her best, she said, “There is no fear. I just have to give what I can. I believe that when we think about giving our best, nothing else will come,” she said.
Her doubles partner Sonalben Patel said, “Bavina and I have put in double efforts in our training as a partner and we will try our best to come home with a medal. The Tokyo Paralympic gold medalist in the men’s badminton SH6 tournament at Krishna Nagar said he aims to repeat his performance.
“I hope everything goes well in Paris and I will try again for gold for India. I will give everything to defend my gold from Tokyo. The events went well, I feel positive and I am looking forward to play it safe,” he said.
Related | India is aiming to record its best performance in the Paralympics, said PCI President Jhajaria.
Para Games debutant shooter Sachin Killary says he is expecting at least a gold medal from himself.
“There is a lot of joy inside me, my preparations for the Paralympics have been going on for 1.5 years, I have performed well at the World Championships and I expect a gold medal from myself because I have worked so hard to get it,” he said. .
“The pressure is on them to compete against me as I consider myself the best,” Hilary said of how he handles the pressure of competing against the best athletes in the world.
“Representing your country at the Paralympics is the biggest thing for any athlete, so I have worked tirelessly for this moment, so I hope my four years of hard work will pay off,” said discus thrower Sakshi Kasana, who started the competition.
India has sent an 84-member contingent – the largest ever for the Paralympics – to be held in Paris from August 28 to September 8.