Paris Paralympics 2024: India gets 15th medal in Paris, Nithya Sri wins bronze medal

Sumati Siwan Nithya Sri of India defeated Indonesia's former world champion Rina Larlina 2-0 in the SH6 category of the women's singles to win her first Paralympic bronze medal here on Monday evening. The top seed in this category, 19-year-old Nithya Sri defeated the Indonesian, who had won gold at Tokyo in the World Championship in the women's singles SH6 category in 2022, 21-14, 21-6 in just a 23-minute bronze medal match. It was a revenge of sorts for Nithya Sri, as she along with her partner Solaimalai Sivarajan lost 17-21, 12-21 to Rina Marlina herself and her partner Subhan Subhan in the bronze medal match in SH6 category mixed doubles earlier in the day. The SH6 category is for players of shorter stature.

Hardly did the Indonesian player Rina get any chance in the first game against Nithya Sri, who lost in the mixed doubles match. Soon she was leading 7-0. Later, Rina bounced back into the game, taking four points consecutively and leveling at 10-10. Her hopes of coming back into the match were dashed as the Indians won five points in a row to win the first game 21-14. The second game was no different as Nithya Sri again won seven points in succession from 3-2 to 10-2 and never looked back. Unlike the first game, the 30-year-old Indonesian star could not string together points as the Indian opponent maintained control over the game.

Nithya Sri then won the second game 21-6, thus quicker the match in 23 minutes. This medal is India's fifth at the Paris Paralympics badminton competition and 15th on the overall medal tally comprising three gold, five silvers, and seven bronzes. India currently lies in 15th spot in the overall medal table.