TOKYO: Olympics Gold medallist Abhinav Bindra on Sunday congratulated Para table tennis player Bhavina Patel for winning silver in the women's singles - Class 4 here at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium -- Table 6.
World number one Zhou Ying of China overwhelmed Bhavina Patel in straight sets by 3-0 (11-7, 11-5, 11-6) in the gold medal match. With this silver medal, Bhavina became the first medal winner for India in table tennis.
"Fantastic performance by @BhavinaPatel6 to bag a silver and open India's account in the #Tokyo2020 @Paralympics. Wonderful show of skill and mental resilience. Extremely proud! #Praise4Para," tweeted Abhinav Bindra.
She is the first table tennis player ever to win a medal at the Paralympics for India and the second female athlete after PCI chief Deepa Malik to achieve the feat. Malik had won silver at Rio 2016 in women's shot put.
"Many congratulations for delivering an outstanding performance to win a Silver medal, and becoming India's first medalist at the Tokyo Paralympics 2020. The whole nation is extremely proud of you overcoming all challenges and coming up with such a spirited show in Tokyo," Abhinav wrote.
"Despite losing your first match, the spirit and attitude with which you fought for every point in the next three matches, and defeated higher ranked opponents was extremely pleasing to witness - both as a fan and as an athlete. Your performance exemplified the redeeming quality of sport, while also serving as a perfect advertisement for the powers of mental resilience and unwavering belief," he said.
"Your journey to attaining sporting excellence is an inspiration to all of us, and is also a very important reminder of the rewards of working hard and always following your passion without dwelling over things that one has no control over. I am positive that you will use your experiences to empower and groom young Indian para-athletes to pick up elite sports," said India's first individual Olympic gold medallist.
"This medal might forever be remembered as the defining moment of your career, but it definitely does not tell us the whole story: the story of overcoming setbacks, recovering from losses, practicing for hours each day to perfect your craft, giving up on family time, and numerous other sacrificial elements that are necessary to become a champion," he said.
"I am a firm believer that no voyage worth undertaking can ever lead to fulfilment without the right people beside you, untiringly urging you on through choppy waters. Therefore, I would like to congratulate your family, friends, and coaching staff, who I am sure would have been there to provide unflinching support and encouragement at every stage.
"Going forward, I wish you all the very best for the future, and hope that you will keep working towards your goals with the same undying spirit through which you have overcome all challenges in life," Bindra wrote.