Source: REUTERS/Jennifer Lorenzini
[Saba Sports News] Nitesh Kumar, the gold medalist in badminton at the Paris Paralympics, spoke about his journey to victory in an interview with HT City. Kumar expressed that after winning the competition and seeing the Indian flag flying in the arena, with everyone celebrating for him, he was deeply moved. Every time he recalls the moment of winning, it reminds him of how significant that moment was. Since the favorite for the championship, Pramod Bhaiya, did not advance to the finals, he felt that someone had to step up and bring the gold medal back to India, and he was glad to have accomplished this honorable task. Kumar revealed that at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics, he missed out on the main event due to a mistake in the qualifiers, which made him consider giving up badminton. However, with encouragement from his coach and friends, he decided to learn from his mistakes and stay focused during competitions. Training at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad has had a profound impact on him, driving him to continuously improve, and winning the gold medal is the best reward. After winning, he plans to go on vacation with his family, possibly to Greece, to relax before diving back into training, hoping to defend his title at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.