Sports

Bethell denied first Para-Badminton world title


Dan Bethell missed out on his first Para-badminton World Championships title as he lost the final to Pramod Bhagat.

The 28-year-old Briton, who has previously won silver and bronze world medals, came into this year’s event in Thailand as the world number one.

In the final Bethell again faced world and Paralympic champion Bhagat, who beat him to win gold at Tokyo 2020.

Indian Bhagat, 35, fought back to win 14-21 21-15 21-14.

Bethell – who has right-sided hemiplegia, which affects the muscle tone and strength on that side of his body – took up badminton aged 13 and competes in the SL3 category.

He reached his first world final in 2019, when Bhagat also came from behind to win, and became Britain’s first Paralympic medallist in the sport with silver at Tokyo.

Despite being unable to avenge those defeats in Thailand, Bethell hopes to become a Paralympic champion at this summer’s Games in Paris.

Three-time world singles champion Rachel Choong reached the quarter-finals in the women’s SH6 category before losing to eventual champion Li Fengmei of China.

Tokyo bronze medallist Krysten Coombs also reached the last eight in the men’s SH6 category, losing to Charles Noakes of France.



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