Dubai: Sivarajan Solaimalai and Sudarsan Saravanakumar Muthusamy claimed the only gold as Indian shuttlers did well to bag 19 medals in the 6th Fazza Para-Badminton International – Dubai 2025, which concluded with South Korea finishing on top of the podium with six gold medals.
Following Korea in the medals table, Malaysia claimed three gold medals while Türkiye, India, England, and Indonesia also shone with a gold medal each in the event, which ended at the Shabab Al Ahli Club here on Sunday.
For India, Sivarajan Solaimalai and Sudarsan Saravanakumar Muthusamy claimed the only gold medal at the championships after the pair got a walkover from their top seed opponents, Hong Kong’s Chu Man Kai and Wong Chun Yim, in men’s doubles SH6 finals. Chu had injured his ankle while playing his men’s singles SH6 final earlier.
Overall, India took 19 medals, which also included four silver and 14 bronze medals.
Experienced shuttler Umesh Vikram Kumar had to settle for the silver in two of his Standing Lower SL3 singles and men’s doubles finals, while the pair of Hardik Makkar and Ruthick Ragupathi went down fighting to the top-seeded Malaysian Cheah Like Hou and Muhammad Fareez Anuar in men’s double Standing Upper SU5 finals.
Fazza Championships Chairman Thani Juma Berregad was amazed to see the intensity of the matches and the world class performances delivered by the top shuttlers at the Shabab Al Ahli Club. He also praised the UAE team’s effort at the championships whose campaign ended in the quarterfinals.
“Our players’ effort and training were evident in the matches. They have tried to match the level of the game of the Paralympic champions here. I’m very delighted to witness their development and performance like these have will boost their confidence. Definitely, the championship was a big learning experience for the team,” he said.
Promising shuttlers Sooyoung Yu and Gyeoul Jung claimed two gold medals each in the men’s and women’s singles and doubles Wheelchair (WH2) finals. Meanwhile, Shin Kyung Hwan also shone with two gold medals in men’s singles Standing SL4 and men’s doubles SL3-SL4, pairing with Joo Dongjae.
Sooyoung rallied from a game down to win 19-21, 25-23, 22-20 over his senior compatriot Kim Jung Jun in a thrilling men’s singles WH2 match.
Meanwhile, he paired with Park Haeseong to beat legendary players Jung Jun and Choi Jungman 21-16, 21-13.
In the women’s events, unseeded Gyeoul shocked top seed and veteran player Emine Seckin from Turkiye in straight games 21-18, 21-11 for the women’s WH2 title. Later, Gyeoul and Haeseong got the better of the Turkish and Italian duo of Seckin and Yuri Ferrigno 21-16, 21-13.
Two gold for Malaysian top-seed
Among other top names, world number 1 Cheah Liek Hou clinched two gold medals for Malaysia, winning the men’s singles and men’s doubles Standing Upper – SU5 events.
While Cheah defeated compatriot Muhammed Fareez Anuar in straight games 21-12, 22-20 in the singles event, both players paired up to win the doubles crown against India’s promising duo of Hardik Makkar and Ruthick Ragupathi 21-18, 21-15.
Ukrainian Oksana Kozyna once again displayed her fighting spirit to beat France’s Milena Surreau, the newly classified SL3 player, 24-22, 17-21, 21-10 in the women’s singles Standing Lower – SL3 final.
Malaysia took on more gold when Muhammad Ikhwan Ramli staged a remarkable comeback to win the men’s wheelchair WH1 final over Korean Paralympic silver medallist Choi Jungman 13-21, 21-18, 21-6.
(IANS)
