Silver lining for para-badminton player Dan Bethell after dramatic final while para-triathlete Michael Taylor places sixth in Paris
Bath para-badminton star Dan Bethell won the second silver medal of his Paralympic Games career as he was narrowly edged out in a dramatic men’s SL3 singles final.
An absorbing encounter saw Bethell recover from losing the opening game, then rally from 19-16 down in the decisive third game before saving a match point to serve for the gold medal at 21-20. However, opponent Kumar Nitesh of India managed to take the next three points to secure a 21-14 18-21 23-21 success.
It meant Bethell had to settle for silver at La Chapelle Arena in Paris, emulating his historic achievement at the rescheduled Tokyo Games in 2021 where he won Britain’s first-ever para-badminton medal at the Paralympics.
He was determined to go for gold this time and lost just 30 points during his three Group B games before beating Thailand’s Mongkhon Bunson 21-7 21-9 in Sunday’s semi-final to guarantee himself a second Paralympic medal.
Monday’s final was dominated by long rallies – one of which was 122 shots – and saw Bethell lose the opening game 21-14 and trail 18-17 during an incredibly tense second game before brilliantly winning four points in a row to set up a third-game decider.
There was no let-up in the drama as Bethell twice fought back from 17-12 and 19-16 down to set up a match-winning opportunity but it was his opponent who eventually took the spoils.
Bethell first took up para-badminton after being inspired by the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. He made the switch from Team Bath Tennis, where he was a junior, to train with Pete Bush as part of the Team Bath Futures Talent Development Programme. His current main training base is in Sheffield but Bethell still does his regional training at the Team Bath Sports Training Village (STV) while at his family home in Marshfield.
Monday also saw para-triathlete Michael Taylor – a member of the British Triathlon Bath National Performance Centre squad and coached by Jack Hall at the STV – finish sixth in the men’s PTS4 final, one better than his placing on his Paralympic debut in Tokyo.
The race had been delayed 24 hours due to water quality concerns following heavy rainfall but that didn’t phase Taylor, who demonstrated his open-water prowess by completing the 750m swim in the River Seine just one second behind home favourite and eventual gold-medallist Alexis Hanquinquant.
Taylor, who is from Barnstaple and now lives and studies in Bristol, was fifth after the 20km bike ride and crossed the line after the decisive 5km run in sixth, completing the course in 1:03:06.
“I thought I might be able to sneak up a bit higher but I am pretty happy with sixth,” Taylor told Channel 4. “The support on the course was incredible and I am so proud to be part of this.”
Sadly there was disappointment for para-swimmer Suzanna Hext, who had to withdraw from the Games on medical grounds just moments before she was due to race in the S5 100m freestyle heats on Friday.
There are several more opportunities for medals during the upcoming five days as the wheelchair fencing competition begins in the Grand Palais. Click here to view the schedule.
