Pune: Sukant Kadam bagged his career’s maiden gold medal apart from the doubles silver to do India proud at the Uganda Para-Badminton International 2017 held at MTN Arena, at Kampala.
The ‘grand double’ is the Pune-based players’ second-in-a-row. Earlier, this year the 24-year-old won two bronze medals in Spain.
Playing the tournament for the first time, the Nikhil Kanetkar Badminton Academy - NKBA trainee topped the ‘SL3 + SL4’ class of the event to cap off a memorable weekend.
In the singles final, the World No. 8 and tournament top-seed Sukant fought back from an opening game reverse to down fellow country mate No. 2 Anand Kumar Boregowda 17-21, 21-11, 21-17. The 50-minute was the longest on the final day of the competition.
Both Sukant and Anand had met twice earlier in National competitions. In 2015, Sukant lost to Anand in straight games and in 2017, at Bangalore, Sukant won a three-game after winning the first.
Sukant’s success in singles is his third in International competitions. Earlier, he won the bronze medals at the Irish Para-Badmintion International 2016 and later the Spanish Para-Badminton Championship 2017.
Sukant explained, “I always waited for my day to come. Once the final point was claimed the feeling was satisfying and contentment for all the hard work that was put in till date both on and off the court. I am still dreaming of the moment.”
In the doubles event, No.2 Sukant (partnering Umesh Vikram Kumar) finished runners –up bowing to the top-seeded Indian pair Anand Kumar Boregowda/ Manoj Sarkar 14-21, 16-21.
Sukant’s doubles success was also his third in International competitions with the Asian Para-Badminton Championship 2016 being the first followed by Spain 2017.
The second double has taken Sukant’s international medal haul to six which has been all be accomplished ever since he joined NKBA in 2014.
NKBA Director and Head Coach Nikhil Kanetkar, added, “Sukant’s medal winning effort has only proven that our efforts are bearing fruit wherein utalising international opportunities to the fullest is the only way ahead to achieve targets.”
At Uganda, Sukant’s run, which included the group stage campaign, consisted of 10 matches that boasts of a staggering nine wins.
RESULTS
Singles, Final: b 2-Anand Kumar Boregowda (Ind) 17-21, 21-11, 21-17
SF: b 8-Umesh Vikram Kumar (Ind) 21-19, 21-19
QF: b Khadija Khamuka (Uga) 21-4, 21-5
Group-A
R2: b Ismail Rembe (Uga) 21-3, 21-6
R1: b Hassan Kamoga (Uga) 21-4, 21-6
Doubles, Final: lost 1-Anand Kumar Boregowda/ Manoj Sarkar (Ind) 14-21, 16-21
SF: b Julius Masereka (Uga)/ Bello R. Oyebanji (Ngr) 21-15, 21-16
Group-B
R3: b Oliaji Toko Chandia/ Ismail Rembe (Uga) 21-10, 21-4
R2: b James Ongaria/ Abdu Walukagga (Uga) 21-2, 21-8
R1: b Paddy Kasirye/ Bashir Mutyaba (Uga) 21-4, 21-7.
