Olympics and Paralympics / paralympics
Bethell secures successive silver after tight contest
It was a moment of agony and ecstasy for Team GB’s Dan Bethell who narrowly missed out on a gold at the Paralympics games in Paris.
Bethell, who won a silver medal three years ago in Tokyo for para badminton, missed out the top podium finish to India’s Pramod Baghat.
This time it was the turn of Baghat’s compatriot Kumar Nitesh to retain the gold for India after a crunch game that ran for an enthralling 80-minutes between the top two athletes at La Chapelle Arena.
is needed now More than ever
Dan Bethell, a University of Bristol law graduate competed in badminton’s SL3 classification and was tipped for a podium finish long before the Paralympics games, but the 28-year-old went down 14-21, 21-18, 21-23 to Nitesh.
It’s a silver medal for Dan! ? What a Paralympic Games you’ve made us all proud ????❤#Paris2024 #ParalympicsGB pic.twitter.com/mCcXpnYk2E
— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) September 2, 2024
Speaking to the media after the nail-biting encounter, Bethell said: “It feels devastating…I came here for that gold. I got the silver in Tokyo and it was my ambition from the start to go one better but I just couldn’t get it over the line.
“I never like losing, particularly in a Paralympics when I’ve already gone through losing a Paralympic final.
“I’ve got to take some pride at getting through to the final as a lot of athletes dream of it and to get on that podium.”
Bethell looked in prime form at the La Chapelle Arena since starting his campaign against Wojtek Czyz, a friend of Jurgen Kloop who was cheering Czyz while mingling with adoring fans.
Bethell’s long-term dream of securing gold may have come short in this year’s Paralympics but Bethell’s parents and fiancée expressed their delight with the podium finish in two successive Paralympics games.
Couple goals ?
Para-badminton player Dan Bethell was “devastated” after a heart-breaking loss today in the men’s SL3 singles final in Paris. But his fiancée Georgia Stride could not be more proud of him – and can’t wait to marry him next year ? #paralympics2024 pic.twitter.com/aJbqCA1joH— BBC Bristol (@BBCBristol) September 2, 2024
Letting the fans into a ‘secret’ while speaking to the BBC, Bethell’s fiancée, Georgia said: “I’m proud of you and please don’t be too hard on yourself, because we all think you’re amazing. Can’t wait to marry you next year!”
Main photo: Team GB
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