Bhavina Patel Paralympics: Bhavinaben Patel’s script history becomes the first Indian table tennis player to achieve a medal at the Paralympics | Tokyo Paralympic News

TOKYO: Bhavinaben Patel discussed history on Friday when he became the first Indian Table tennis a player who won a medal at the Paralympics after reaching the semifinals and winning a stunning straight game from the world’s fifth Borislava Peric Rankovic from Serbia in the women’s singles class 4.
The 34-year-old Indian defeated his Serbian opponent in the 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 semi-finals, which lasted 18 minutes.
He will face Chinese Zhang Miao in the semi-finals on Saturday, but will be guaranteed at least a bronze. The bronze medal is not played Tokyo Paralympics table tennis, and both losing semi-finalists are guaranteed bronze.

Bhavinaben is from the village of Sundhiya in the Mehsana region of Gujarat. He moved to Ahmedabad to marry Nikunj Patel, who has played junior cricket in Gujarat. His father runs a small cutlery shop in the village.
“She is 90% disabled, but she has the willpower and determination of 10 able-bodied people. I get inspiration from her will and confidence,” Nikunj told PTI, referring to his wife’s disability due to childhood polio.
Deh Malik, President of the Indian Paralympic Committee, who is also in Tokyo, quickly congratulated Bhavinaben.
“It is certain that we can see the medal from him. The match (semi-final) to be played tomorrow morning is a huge decision on which color medal he will win,” he said in the video on his Twitter handle.

In 2017, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Board of Directors had approved the International Table Tennis Federation’s request to remove third-place playoffs from all medal events and award bronze to both losing semi-finalists.
Earlier in the day, Bhavinaben had defeated Brazilian Joyce de Oliveira in the 12-10 13-11, 11-6 quarterfinals, and became the first Indian table tennis player to advance to the Paralympic quarterfinals.
Class 4 athletes have a balanced sitting balance and fully functioning arms and hands. The impairment may be due to lower spinal cord injury or brain damage.

“I could win my semi-finals thanks to the support of the Indian people. Please continue to support me so that I can win my semi-finals,” Patel said after the semi-finals.
He had entered the round after winning one match and losing another group game.
Countryman Sonalben Manubhai Patel had lost both of his group matches on Thursday to bow to the race.