‘We never lost our gold, Pramod Bhaiya’: Nitesh Kumar to Bhagat after being crowned Paralympic champion

As the national anthem played and the Indian flag rose triumphantly while the gold medal gleamed around his neck Nitesh Kumarrsquos mind wandered back to the entire saga that had led to his overwhelming winStanding atop the podium in Paris he couldnrsquot help but recall how he had once nursed grand dreams of earning his own Paralympic medal all inspired by Pramod Bhagatrsquos dazzling gold in Tokyo He then cast his mind back further to the pivotal moment that set his extraordinary journey in motionThe moment of victory for him was the crowning achievement of years spent working his fingers to the bone and persevering through relentless adversityAt 29 and hailing from Haryana he showcased his tactical genius to edge out the Tokyo silver medalist in a match that stretched over an intense hour and 20 minutes with a final scoreline of 2114 1821 2321 In the SL3 category reserved for players with severe lower limb disabilities and played on a halfwidth court Kumars path to gold was as epic as it was improbableAfter losing his left leg in a 2009 train accident in Visakhapatnam at just 15 one might think the universe had it out for him Yet this setback only fueled his drive His victory ensured India held on to the SL3 gold that Bhagat had snatched up three years ago when badminton made its Paralympic debut in TokyoAlso ReadNishad Kumarrsquos solitary battle amid government funding droughtKumar the son of a navy officer had grand ambitions of following his fatherrsquos footsteps into the defense forces Naturally a devastating accident was the perfect plot twist to derail those dreams At the Artificial Limbs Centre in Pune where he witnessed war veterans pushing their limits most dramatically This cinematic display of grit and resilience sparked a dramatic shift in his outlook reigniting his drive to conquer his own challenges From the cozy confines of a hospital bed to the grand stage of the Paralympics Kumarrsquos transformation is as inspiring as it is predictableldquoIt felt good that he remembered me as I got the first call He told me lsquoBhaiya we never lost our goldrsquo laughs It feels good we donrsquot want our gold to go to another country Honestly discussing strategies and going out on the court alone are two very different things I mean the execution is not always easy and only the athlete has to do it I am glad he surpassed our expectations He is a brilliant player I feel very proud of him The plan always was that if I was not going someone should get back the gold Woh bhi mujhe wohi kehke gaya tha he told me the same before leaving for Parisrdquo Bhagat told MidDayKumar kept his word He bagged his firstever Paralympic gold medal last Monday toppling Great Britains Daniel Bethell in a menrsquos singles SL3 badminton final that was nothing short of a dramatic marathonFacing an opponent who had previously beaten him nine times Kumar exhibited a remarkable mental game finally notching his first win against Bethell The final was a grueling test of endurance and skill featuring excruciatingly long rallies including a nearly threeminute 122shot extravaganza in the opening gameWith sharp reverse hits delicate drop shots and impeccable net play Kumar kept Bethell perpetually on edge Despite trailing 69 at one point his unyielding defense saw him claw back to lead 1814 eventually sealing the first game when Bethell sent the shuttle wide While Kumar could have wrapped it up in straight games Bethellrsquos comeback forced a deciderIn the final game the tension was electric with the score moving from 88 to 1919 Kumar had his first championship point at 2019 but missed it Bethell had a match point at 2120 but faltered Seizing his chance Kumar took the match when Bethell hit long and wide sealing his gold medal in a perfectly anticlimactic fashionldquoHe has improved to a great extent He was always a sportsman he was not associated with badminton earlier but a sportsman doesnrsquot take much time to adjust to new environments After his accident how he worked hard in his game is commendablerdquo added BhagatExceptional feats like Kumarrsquos are sure to resonate not just with those prone to tearful reflections over minor setbacks but also with anyone who understands that sustained victory is the pinnacle of athletic achievement It is easy for delicate skills to falter or for legs to rebel And let us not forget the mindset that can disappear without warningYet herersquos Kumar flaunting a success that underscores the seldomseen virtue of durability a trait that typically defines the careers of his peersBut he continues To fight back to live again