Shuttler Manoj Sarkar defeated Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara in straight games to clinch the bronze medal in the badminton men’s singles SL3 event at the ongoing Tokyo Paralympics on Saturday. The win brings India its sixth bronze medal, taking the total haul to 17 – inluding four gold, seven silver and six bronze medals. 

Sarkar defeated Fujihara 22-20, 21-13 in the bronze playoff match that lasted 47 minutes. The first game, which lasted 27 minutes, went to the wire as after conceding an early lead, Sarkar mounted an impressive comeback and eventually edged his Japanese opponent after scores were level at game point. 

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The 31-year-old then outclassed Fujihara in the second game, comfortably seeing out a 21-13 win to claim the bronze. 

Earlier, Sarkar failed to find his rhythm as he went down 8-21, 10-21 in the SL3 semifinal against Great Britain’s Daniel Bethell. 

Meanwhile, Pramod Bhagat secured India’s first-ever gold medal at the Paralympic Games, defeating Bethell 21-17, 21-14 to claim the top prize. The reigning world number one‘s win meant India have now won four gold medals at the ongoing Games. 

In SL3 classification, athletes with lower limb impairment are allowed to compete. Sarkar contracted polio at the age of one, which affected his right leg. 

arkar had taken up badminton at age five but it was the passion to win against his elder brothers which led him to play the sports seriously. He played inter-school competition against able-bodied players till the 11th grade before starting to compete in para badminton in 2011.

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He won a gold medal in the SL3 singles at the 2016 Asian Championships in Beijing. In 2018, he received the Arjuna Award and a year later, he was named Para Sportsman of the Year at the Sportstar Aces Awards.

Earlier today, shuttlers Suhas Yathiraj and Krishna Nagar also sailed into the men’s singles finals of SL4 class and SH6 class respectively. They will play their respective matches on Sunday.