India’s Nithya Sre Sivan has made headlines by securing a bronze medal in the women’s singles SH6 category at the Paris Paralympics 2024. This remarkable achievement not only adds to India’s medal tally but also highlights Nithya’s dedication and prowess in para-badminton.
Nithya Sre Sivan’s Early Life and Background
Nithya Sre Sivan hails from Hosur in Tamil Nadu. Growing up, cricket was her favourite sport, but her interest shifted to badminton after the Rio Paralympics in 2016. Inspired by the legendary Lin Dan, Nithya began to pursue badminton seriously. It wasn’t until the lockdown in 2020 that she discovered para-badminton, thanks to her father’s colleague, a state-level para-badminton player.
Journey to Paralympics
Encouraged by her coach and family, Nithya participated in the Tamil Nadu para-badminton state championship, where she showcased her skills and potential. Her journey in para-badminton has been marked by several achievements, including multiple medals at the Asian Para Games and World Championships.
Paris Paralympics 2024
At the Paris Paralympics 2024, Nithya Sre Sivan competed in the women’s singles SH6 category. The SH6 category is for athletes with short stature who compete while standing. Nithya’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. She defeated Indonesia’s Rina Marlina in straight games, 21-14, 21-6, to clinch the bronze medal.
🤩 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘇𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗶𝘁𝗵𝘆𝗮! Congratulations to Nithya Sre Sivan on winning her first medal at the Paralympics.
👉 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 @sportwalkmedia 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘀 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗹𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘀… pic.twitter.com/W25rlXo2S6
— Sportwalk Media (@sportwalkmedia) September 2, 2024
Nithya’s journey to the podium was marked by determination and resilience. In the opening game, she stormed into a 7-0 lead, but Marlina made a comeback to level the score at 10-10. However, Nithya regained her rhythm and closed out the game in 13 minutes. In the second game, she dominated from the start, taking a massive 10-2 lead and eventually winning the match.
