Indian Para-shuttler Manasi Joshi becomes World No. 1!

It is indeed a very happy international women's day for ace para-shuttler Manasi Joshi. Adding another feather to her well-decorated hat, the 2019 World Para-Badminton champion has topped in the BWF para-badminton rankings. She has earned the World No. 1 spot in the Women's Singles SL3 category. As Joshi takes the top spot in the rankings now in the SL3 Women's Singles category, fellow Indian para-shuttler Parul Parmar is at the World No. 2 spot.

 

In her recent outing, Manasi Joshi bagged the gold in the Women's Singles SL3 category, and two more silvers in the doubles and mixed doubles events in the Spanish International II tournament. Soon after this feat, the software engineer turned para-badminton athlete shared the joyful news of claiming the top spot of the BWF Para-Badminton rankings.

 

 

 

Now, India now has two World No. 1's in para-badminton in the SL3 Singles category. Tokyo gold medallist Pramod Bhagat is at the top spot of Men's Singles.

 

The 32-year-old is a 3-time medallist from the World Para-Badminton Championships. She has also been recognized by BBC as one of the 100 most inspirational and powerful women across the world in 2020. She was nominated for the BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year award 2020, alongside the likes of Olympic medallists PV Sindhu, Mary Kom. She has also been featured in TIME Magazine as Next Generation Leader.

 

Notably, SL3 is the category in para-badminton where players have movement moderately affected on one side of the body, both legs, or has the absence of limbs. They play standing on a half-width court and have reduced court movement but a full range of shots.