Pune’s own Sukant Kadam made his mark in the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Para Games in China, securing two bronze medals in an outstanding performance for India.
On a day filled with semifinal action, the third-seeded and World No.4 Sukant faced a tough challenge in his SL 4 Singles encounter against Malaysia’s Mohammed Amin Burhanuddin. Sukant put up a valiant fight but ultimately lost 23-21, 21-11 in a 34-minute match.
However, Sukant’s journey to the semifinals was marked by a thrilling victory over South Korea’s Shin Kyung Hwan, where he triumphed with a score of 12-21, 21-17, 22-20 in a nail-biting 57-minute encounter. This win secured his place in the last four.
In the SL 3-SL 4 Doubles semifinal, Sukant, teaming up with Pramod Bhagat, faced a strong challenge from the third-seeded Indonesian pair of Dwiyoko Dwiyoko and Fredy Setiawan. The Indian duo put up a fierce fight, winning the first game 22-20, but narrowly lost the second game 21-23 and ultimately fell short in the third game with a score of 12-21.
Despite the loss, Sukant and Pramod Bhagat’s performance in the doubles event was remarkable. The head-to-head (H2H) advantage now stands at 2-2 between the two pairs.
Sukant’s achievement of two bronze medals at the Hangzhou Games is a testament to his dedication and skill. These medals mark his first individual event bronze and his third overall from the two Para Asian Games in which he has represented India. Sukant was previously a member of the bronze-medal-winning men’s team at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Para Games held in Indonesia.
