Bhavina Patel wins gold, Sonalben bags bronze in para TT at CWG

Bhavina Patel won a gold medal in the women's singles class 3-5. Sonalben Manubhai Patel also claimed a bronze in women's singles class 3-5.

Birmingham: Star Indian para table tennis player Bhavina Patel won a gold medal in the women's singles class 3-5 at the Commonwealth Games here on Saturday. The 35-year-old from Gujarat, who had won a silver at Tokyo Paralympics, prevailed 12-10 11-2 11-9 over Nigeria's Ifechukwude Christiana Ikpeoyi to cap off a superb show at the quadrennial event.

Bhavina reached the world No. 2 ranking by winning the silver medal in the individual category at the 2011 PTT Thailand Open. Besides, she also won a silver medal in the women's singles class 4 at the Asian Para Table Tennis Championships in Beijing in 2013. In 2017, Bhavina bagged a bronze in the Asian Para Table Tennis Championships in Beijing.

Sonalben Manubhai Patel also gave India a medal, claiming a bronze in women's singles class 3-5. The 34-year-old Indian beat England's Sue Bailey 11-5 11-2 11-3 in the bronze medal play-off. However, Raj Aravindan Alagar lost to Nigeria's Isau Ogunkunle 0-3 in the men's singles classes 3-5 bronze medal play-off.

Para powerlifter Sudhir had also won a gold medal after scripting a Commonwealth Games record in the men's heavyweight. In para table tennis, classes 1-5 are for wheelchair athletes. (PTI)