Historic! Bhavina Patel Becomes First Indian To Pick Silver Medal in Table Tennis Paralympics

Bhavina Patel Wins Silver Medal: Indian Para athlete Bhavina Hasmukhbhai Patel scripted history today as she became the first Indian to pick a silver medal in the finals of Paralympics. In the semi-final match held on August 28, Patel defeat World No 3, China's Zhang Miao 3-2. She won the silver medal after a face off China Zhou Ying in the finals of Women's Singles Class 4.

Will be a go-getter is her motto. Patel, who picked up the sport for fun, plays in her wheelchair. Today, the player who hails from Gujarat is considered a formidable force in wheelchair table tennis.

Who is Bhavina Patel?

She was born on 6th November 1986, and her father’s name is Hasmukh Bhai Patel. Her family struggled with money as Bhavina's father runs a small store for daily needs. His daughter, rose through the ranks in table tennis against all odds.

The 34-year-old currently holds World No 12 spot. After becoming the first Indian to reach the quarterfinals of the table tennis Paralympic event, Patel made it clear that she was not done yet. "I want to do better in the coming matches. Today, I tried to remain patient and continued to focus on the ball, did not let myself to be distracted by any negative thoughts," she said.

The highest rank that Patel has ever held is at of World No 2 at 2011, when she won a silver medal for India in Individual Category at the PTT Thailand Table Tennis Championship. The in 2013, she secured a silver medal for her country in the women’s singles Class 4 category at Asian Para table tennis championships in Beijing.

Hailing from the village of Sundhiya in Gujarat, Patel began her career as a para athlete at the age of 17. However, the athlete's family was enduring an immense financial crisis at one point of time, that had cast a question mark on her sporting future. It was then that Ahmedabad-based organisation Blind People’s Association (BPA) extended support to the Patel, after which there was no looking back.

Her Semi Final Match

On Friday evening, Patel stunned World No 2, Serbia's Borislava Rankovic by 11-5, 11-6, 11-7 (3-0) to book a spot in the semi-finals of the event. The Saturday match however, didn't start as planned for Patel, as the lost the first game by 7-11 to Miao, who is a Rio Paralympics silver medalist. Making a quick comeback, Patel won two consecutive sets 11-7, 11-4. The match got tense after Miao upset Bhavina Patel in the fourth game with 9-11, but it was the India Para athlete who prevailed in the end, winning the last game 11-8, thus concluding the 34 minute-long match.

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