Bath para-badminton star Bethell secures Paralympic silver
Dan Bethell has repeated the feat he managed at Tokyo 2020
Bath para-badminton player Dan Bethell has won a second Paralympic medal of his career, securing silver in the SL3 singles in Paris.
Bethell was edged out in the final by India's Kumar Nitesh, who took gold by a score of 21-14, 18-21, 23-21 at the La Chapelle Arena.
It means Bethell repeats the feat he managed at the previous Tokyo Games, where he won Great Britain's first ever medal in para-badminton.
Today's final (2nd September) was dominated by long rallies – one of which was 122 shots – and saw Bethell lose the opening game 21-14 and trail 18-17 during an incredibly tense second game before brilliantly winning four points in a row to set up a third-game decider.
There was no let-up in the drama as Bethell twice fought back from 17-12 and 19-16 down to set up a match-winning opportunity but it was his opponent who eventually took the spoils.
Today has also seen Bath para-triathlete Michael Taylor compete at the Paralympics, finishing sixth in the men's PTS4 para-triathlon, one place better than he managed in Tokyo.
The race had been delayed 24 hours due to water quality concerns following heavy rainfall, with Taylor finishing the swim just one second behind the eventual gold medallist Alexis Hanquinquant from France.
Taylor, who is from Barnstaple and now lives and studies in Bristol, was fifth after the 20km bike ride and crossed the line after the decisive 5km run in sixth, completing the course in 1:03:06.
“I thought I might be able to sneak up a bit higher but I am pretty happy with sixth,” Taylor told Channel 4.
“The support on the course was incredible and I am so proud to be part of this.”