New Delhi, 23 October (H.S.): Indian para-badminton player Thulasimathi Murugesan rounded off her campaign at the 2026 Asian Para Games on Friday with a gold-medal victory in the women’s doubles SL3–SU5 event. Partnering Mansi Joshi, she defeated China’s Yang Qiuxia and Xiao Zuxian 21–16, 21–13 in straight games in the final. The Indian pair wrapped up the contest in 28 minutes to secure the gold medal.

The 24-year-old Thulasimathi, a silver medallist at the Paris Paralympics, finished the competition with an impressive haul of one gold and two silver medals. Before winning gold in the women’s doubles, she had secured silver in the women’s singles SU5 category. However, she fell short in the final against China’s Yang Qiuxia, losing 18–21, 11–21.

Thulasimathi also claimed a silver medal in the mixed doubles SL3–SU5 event, partnering Nitesh Kumar. The Indian duo suffered a defeat against Indonesia’s Leani Ratri Oktila and Hikmat Ramdani in the final, going down 21–11, 19–21, 14–21. Despite winning the opening game, the Indian pair lost the next two games, allowing their Indonesian opponents to clinch the title.

The SL3–SU5 doubles category in para-badminton features athletes from two classifications: SL3, which includes standing players with lower-limb impairments, and SU5, which comprises standing players with upper-limb impairments.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar