Paris 2024: Can anyone break Asian dominance of Para badminton?
Chinese and Japanese shuttlers predicted to thrive again as this sport makes its second appearance at the Paralympics – but will face hot competition from the hosts 26 Aug 2024
Para badminton debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, launching new stars from Republic of China, Indonesia and Japan, but will this continue in Paris?
A sport overwhelmingly dominated by Asian nations, at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will see more medals on offer than last time around, with 16 golds up for grabs between 29 August and 2 September.
There will be six individual women’s and six individual men’s events (WH1, WH2, SL3, SL4, SU5, SH6), as well as women’s and men’s WH1-2 doubles and mixed doubles SL3-SU5 and SH6.
This is two more than at Tokyo 2020. Women’s singles SL3, women’s SH6 and SH6 mixed have been added.
This adds up to an equal number of singles events for men and women, and equal gender representation, with 60 players across each gender. Places have been allocated through both the rankings list and the Race to Paris rankings list.
Matches will be held at the 8,000-capacity Porte de La Chapelle Arena in the La Chapelle area of the French capital’s 18th arrondissement. The Paris 2024 Olympic badminton and rhythmic gymnastics also took place here, as well as the Paralympic Para powerlifting.
Tokyo saw some thrilling matches, with China, the sport’s powerhouse, just about finishing on top ahead of the host nation. The Chinese took five gold, three silver and two bronze medals (10 in total), while the Japanese got three gold, one silver and five bronze (nine in total).
Paris sees some of these true legends of the sport from last time around vying for further glory, joined by some exciting new names, and some local heroes to watch, too.
Five storylines to follow…
British duo seek glory in new event
SH6 mixed doubles makes its Paralympic debut, and Great Britain’s Jack Shephard and Rachel Choong will be up there with the favourites for gold.
They are multiple world champions and will relish taking to the big stage. “When I started in Para badminton it was small sports halls,” said Choong.
“The progression over time as the sport became Para and more professional and now we play in fantastic arenas. In Paris there will be fans in seats, it’s all very different to what we are used to.”
Legends Hou and Oktila have final shots at glory?
Cheah Liek Hou of Malaysia and Leani Ratri Oktila of Indonesia are two of the superstars of Para badminton. Both have impressive lists of honours: Hou, 36, has 18 world championship titles to his name, the first of which was won in 2005; Oktila, 33, has six world gold medals.
Both hit the pinnacle of their long careers by scooping Paralympic titles in Tokyo – the Malaysian in the men’s SU5 singles, and the Indonesian in the women’s doubles and mixed doubles, taking two golds, as well as silver in the women’s singles.
“This gold medal is for all Malaysian badminton lovers,” said Hou in Japan.
Oktila, meanwhile, wants individual glory this time around. “In Paris, I will only play singles and mixed doubles so I can save a little more energy to focus on these two numbers,” she explains.
“With maximum exercise and maintaining good health, hopefully I can turn silver into gold.”
Young guns go again
Asia’s female athletes in particular impressed back in Tokyo, with Japan’s Sarina Satomi delighting the home crowd by taking WH1 gold. Now 26, she goes again, as does the defeated finalist, Sujirat Pookkham of Thailand.
Brilliant Chinese shuttler Liu Yutong, who won gold in Tokyo aged just 17, is also back to bid for singles and doubles titles.
“I am still very young so I do not have any special feelings for being considered one of the world’s best,” Liu has said. “I need to remain humble and keep working hard.” But win again and legendary status in her sport is already beckoning.
Lucas Mazur seeks home court glory
The only non-Asian para badminton gold medallist at Tokyo 2020 was a Frenchman. Mazur won a dramatic gold in the men’s singles SL4 event, beating the veteran Indian Suhas Lalinakere Yathiraj in the final.
“It means history because I became the first Paralympic champion. It was a dream come true for me,” Mazur said after his Tokyo 2020 win.
Mazur, 26, also has three world title wins to his name – but a gold medal on French soil would top the lot.
“I feel proud to host the Games in my country,” he said.
“People have to be there because it’s where the world’s best athletes will be. If they’re not coming, they are missing out.” Maud Lefort (SU5), Meril Loquette (SU5), Thomas Jakobs (WH2) and David Toupe (WH1) will also play for France.
Kozyna looks to make further history
Oksana Kozyna became Ukraine's first ever Para badminton gold medallist in 2022 when she won the SL3 category at the Para Badminton World Championships in Tokyo. Now she wants to add the biggest title of all.
“I want to win for the people of Ukraine, a great way to show the world that Ukrainians are very strong and we never give up,” she said.
