Palak Kohli is 18 and Parul Parmar 49, but their on-court understanding
belies the generational gap. While Parmar keeps a vigil at the net, Kohli shoulders extra burden to retrieve the shuttle from the corners of the court and hit it well and away from the opposition’s reach.
Four international titles since 2019 for them speaks volumes about the success of this unusual combination and explains their stature as one of the top pairs in world para badminton. It was provided confirmation on Friday evening when they got communication from Badminton World Federation (BWF), the world body that they have qualified for the Tokyo Paralympics.
Their ranking of world No. 6 ensured their berth for the Olympics.
“Finally it happened, almost after one year. Since April last year, when the Games were postponed, we were waiting for this to happen,” says Parmar. For her, even the friendship with her teenage playing partner has helped in their becoming a strong pair.
“It makes a lot of difference for a doubles pair how it gels. We try to cover for each other in the court during play, and off-court too we discuss the game and other things, which helps us bond as players,” Parmar adds.
They are the first Indian para shuttlers to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics. They achieved the qualification for the SL3-SU5 women’s doubles event that is making its debut in the Tokyo Games.
“It’s a dream come true. I am thrilled that finally we have made it to the Tokyo Games,” says Kohli, reportedly the youngest para-badminton player in the world to qualify for the Paralympics.
Parul and Palak received congratulations on Saturday morning as they arrived for training at the Gaurav Khanna Excellia Badminton Academy on the outskirts of Lucknow. “Things changed suddenly and now I feel I have achieved my first success by qualifying; now we need to finish on the podium,” Kohli says.
She said even during the lockdown since March 2020, she never stopped training. “I didn’t go home even when the country went for the complete lockdown. I kept training hard here at a court which we had established in a nearby park in the open. I knew hard work would pay dividends and this is what I have achieved.”
“Due to travel restrictions, we missed participation in the Spanish Open this month, but we are training hard in a bio-secure bubble here.”
“We are hoping to get more information about the qualification of four-six more Indians shuttlers for the Paralympics,” said coach Khanna.
Having made it to the doubles event, Kohli now awaits qualification in the SU5 singles category, where she’s world No.11. “I am very sure of playing singles also,” says Kohli, who got vaccinated on Friday with the other campers.
