Paralympic silver-medallist Bhavina Patel was among the Indian table tennis players who advanced to the semifinals of the Asian Para Games on Monday, ensuring medals in three different classes for the country here.
Prachi battled past Thailand’s Kanokporn Phathumchai to enter the last four of the women’s Class 6 event, while Sonalben defeated Thailand’s Dararat Asayut in Class 3. Bhavina also secured a semifinal berth in Class 4-5 with a win over China’s Zhang Miao.
Prachi, who trains at the Sports Authority of India’s Centre of Excellence in Gandhinagar and has a neurodegenerative disease, beat Phathumchai 11-5, 11-4, 11-13, 12-10 in her second group match. She finished second in Group A with one win and one loss to assure India of a first-ever medal in this category at the Asian Para Games. Class 6 is a standing category for athletes with severe impairments in both arms and legs.
Prachi, who has completed her M.Tech from Punjab Engineering College, will face Iraq’s Najlah Al-Dayyeni for a place in the final on Tuesday. Sonalben was equally assured in her women’s singles Class 3 quarterfinal, beating Dararat. Class 3 is a wheelchair category for athletes with poor sitting balance and limited trunk control, but normal or near-normal arm and hand function.
Bhavina, a former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist, underlined her credentials with a 3-1 (8-11, 11-6, 11-1, 11-6) quarterfinal win over Zhang in Class 4-5 category.
Class 4-5 is for athletes with physical impairments who compete while seated.
All three paddlers are assured of at least a bronze medal.