Jayce
As the Paralympics draw to a close, we highlight the athletes who left a lasting impact on Para badminton’s grandest stage.
Wheelchair (WH1)
Qu Zimo
In men’s Wheelchair (WH1), Qu Zimo successfully defended both his singles and doubles titles, further solidifying his status as a legend with five World Championship golds, including two from this year alone.
Thomas Wandschneider
The singles bronze was claimed by Thomas Wandschneider, whose performance became iconic at the Paralympics, especially given his age (nearly 61) in such a physically demanding event.
Sarina Satomi
Sarina Satomi couldn’t reclaim her women’s doubles gold, but she delivered in the singles. Despite an earlier loss to Yin Meng Lu in the group stage, she avenged it in the semifinals and went on to beat Sujirat Pookkham in the final.
Wheelchair (WH2)
Liu Yu Tong & Daiki Kajiwara
Liu Yu Tong and Daiki Kajiwara continued their domination in WH2. Liu improved on her Tokyo 2020 performance by clinching doubles gold alongside Yin Meng Lu, adding to her singles title. At just 20, she now boasts three Paralympic golds and six World Championships titles.
Kajiwara was unstoppable in men’s singles WH2, not dropping a single game throughout his campaign.
Yin Meng Lu & Liu Yu Tong
Chan Ho Yuen Daniel, having announced his retirement after the Paralympics, finished with a silver, ending his career on a high. His rival Kim Jung Jun barely held off young competitor Yu Sooyoung in a dramatic bronze medal playoff.
Short Stature (SH6)
Charles Noakes
Men’s singles SH6 has become fiercely competitive, but Charles Noakes stood out, winning all five matches in straight games, including a final that thrilled home fans.
Li Fengmei
Li Fengmei shone for China, taking home two golds in women’s singles SH6 and mixed doubles SH6. Her mixed doubles semifinal alongside Lin Naili against Subhan Subhan and Rina Marlina was a thrilling, hour-long match that went China’s way.
Miles Krajewski
Miles Krajewski, only 19, impressed in two categories. He narrowly missed the singles semifinals and, along with Jayci Simon, made history by winning silver in mixed doubles – the first-ever Paralympic or Olympic medal for the USA in badminton.
Standing Lower (SL3)
Nitesh Kumar
Despite Pramod Bhagat’s absence, Nitesh Kumar delivered an unexpected victory over Daniel Bethell, edging out the Brit in a nerve-wracking SL3 final.
Xiao Zuxian
In women’s SL3, Xiao Zuxian captured gold, defeating Qonitah Ikhtiar Syakuroh. Yet, the emotional highlight came from bronze medalist Mariam Eniola Bolaji, whose inspiring journey included overcoming a difficult childhood and the loss of her mentor.
Standing Lower (SL4)
Lucas Mazur
Much like Viktor Axelsen’s dominance in the Olympics, Lucas Mazur faced little resistance in his SL4 campaign, cruising to gold with a decisive win over Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj. In women’s SL4, Cheng Hefang had a similarly comfortable title defense, defeating Leani Ratri Oktila.
Standing Upper (SU5)
Cheah Liek Hou
As expected, Cheah Liek Hou remained unchallenged in men’s SU5. His main rivals, Dheva Anrimusthi and Suryo Nugroho, couldn’t unsettle him. On the women’s side, Yang Qiuxia triumphed over Thulasimathi Murugesan with relative ease in the SU5 final.
