Odisha star shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Deep Ranjan Bisoyee bagged a total of four medals for India at the Barharin Parabadminton International 2023, which concluded in Manama, Bahrain today. The four medals featured two gold and two bronze.

Bhagat justified his reputation as Paralympic and World champion, capturing one gold each in mens singles and doubles, and one bronze in mixed doubles. Bisoyee secured one bronze in mens doubles. Bhagat emerged mens SL3 singles champion, defeating fellow Indian Nitesh Kumar in the final 21-16, 21-17.

Bhagat won the mens SL3-SL4 doubles gold with Sukant Kadam as his partner. In the final, Bhagat and Kadam beat fellow Indians Nitesh Kumar and Taru 22-24, 21-9, 21-14. Bhagat pocketed bronze medal by reaching mixed doubles semifinals in SL3-SU5 category with Indian partner Manisha Ramadass.

It could have been three gold or two gold and one silver for Bhagat if he and Ramadass had not went down fighting in the semifinals against Indonesia pair of Hikmat Ramdani and Leani Ratri Oktila 8-21, 21-19, 13-21.

Bisoyee claimed the doubles in mens doubles SL3-SL4 category by booking berth in the semifinals, where he and his Indian partner Manoj Sarkar lost to eventual champions Bhagat and Kadam 5-21, 16-21.

Four shuttlers from Odisha represented the country in the week-long Bahrain international tournament. Other two were Gadela Dillaswar Rao and Subhrajeet Maharana. The four shuttlers were accompanied by Odisha coach Shiba Prasad Das.

Rao reached mens SL3 singles pre-quarterfinals before losing to Umesh Vikram Kumar 7-21, 12-21. Maharana bowed out from group stage in mens SL4 singles, winning one and losing two matches.

Rao and Maharana also played together in mens SL3-SL4 doubles and reached pre-quarterfinals before getting defeated by New Zealand-Sweden combination of Wojtek Czyz and Dilan Jacobsson 20-22, 15-21.
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PHOTO: Odisha para shuttlers Pramod Bhagat (Right) and Deep Ranjan Bisoyee (Left) pose with their medals in Manama on 23 May 2023. Also in the frame is Odisha coach Shiba Prasad Das.