Young Indian para shuttler Palak Kohli says the Tokyo Games disappointment has elevated her starvation for achievement and her sole goal is to return with a gold from the Paris Paralympics in two years time.
The youngest para badminton participant to qualify for the Paralympics at 18, Kohli is at the moment competing on the Spanish Para badminton International II in Vitoria.
She had certified in all three codecs — singles, ladies’s doubles (Parul Parmar) and combined doubles (Pramod Bhagat) on the Tokyo Games however couldn’t return with a medal.
“Playing in Tokyo was a wonderful experience. There is no age criteria in para badminton. So being the youngest to qualify for three events was a blessing as I got exposure to all three events,” Kohli, whose left-arm is underdeveloped since beginning, informed PTI.
“There was lot of disappointment after losing the mixed bronze at Tokyo after coming so close but it has also made me lot hungrier and I am living for that one aim, one goal for Paris. I don’t want to settle for anything lesser than gold.”
Kohli, who has been signed by Adidas for its “Impossible is Nothing” marketing campaign, is at the moment focussing on the Spanish Open, the place she is seeded second in ladies’s singles SU 5 group B.
She together with Bhagat are topping the group C in combined doubles SL3-SU 5 with two wins. She additionally varieties the highest seed pair with Parmar in ladies’s doubles SL3-SU5 and has gained her first group A match.
“This year I am looking to play in various events. Spanish Open is an important event where I want to do well,” mentioned Kohli, who used the publish Olympics time to recuperate from a bone marrow edema in her left tibia, a nagging harm which was first identified in 2019.
“But World championships and Asian Games are the main events which I am looking up to for this year. My long term goals remains 2024 Paris, 2028 and 2032 Olympics,” she mentioned.
Kohli has joined the elite membership of different Adidas’ sturdy ladies athletes, together with Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, Hima Das, Nikhat Zareen and lots of others.
“I am happy to join Adidas. This brand has the ideology of ‘impossible is nothing’ and being the first para athlete from India to partner with Adidas is a feeling of happiness for me,” Kohli mentioned.
“The campaign relates so much with para athletes and my aim is to promote and take badminton to the next level. It will help me to raise my voice.”
