Krishna Nagar stuns Paralymic champion Noakes to win French Para Badminton title
Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar defeated France's Charles Noakes in straight games to win the Men's Singles SH6 title at the French Para Badminton International 2026. India enjoyed a successful campaign, securing multiple gold, silver and bronze medals across categories.
Hyderabad: Paralympic gold medallist Krishna Nagar produced a sensational performance to claim the Men’s Singles SH6 title at the BABOLAT French Para Badminton International 2026, defeating Paris Paralympics gold medallist Charles Noakes of France in the final.
Competing against the home favourite, Krishna showcased tremendous composure and tactical discipline. The opening game was a closely fought contest with the lead changing hands several times before the Indian star edged ahead 21-19. Carrying that momentum into the second game, Krishna dominated proceedings from the start, controlling the rallies and dictating the pace to register a convincing 21-11 victory and secure the gold medal.
Krishna enjoyed a successful tournament overall, adding two bronze medals to his tally. He partnered Sivarajan Solaimalai to finish third in the Men’s Doubles SH6 category and teamed up with Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan to claim bronze in the Mixed Doubles SH6 event.
Speaking after his victory, Krishna Nagar said, “It is always special to win a title against a strong opponent, especially a Paralympic champion playing in front of his home crowd. The first game was very competitive, but I stayed patient and trusted my preparation. I am happy with the way I executed my strategy and maintained my focus throughout the match. This victory gives me confidence and motivation as I continue preparing for the important tournaments ahead. I would like to thank my coaches, support staff, family and everyone who has supported me on this journey.”
India’s para badminton contingent delivered several impressive performances across categories. Thulasimathi Murugesan won the Women’s Singles SU5 gold medal, while Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan emerged victorious in the Women’s Singles SH6 event and Nitesh Kumar won in Men’s singles SL3 event to add another gold for India.
Among the notable podium finishes, Naveen Sivakumar finished runner-up in Men’s Singles SL4. Manasi Joshi and Thulasimathi Murugesan claimed silver in the Women’s Doubles SL3-SU5 event. Pramod Bhagat and Manisha Ramdass also delivered a strong performance to win silver in the Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5 category.
India’s bronze medal winners included Prem Kumar Ale in Men’s Singles WH1, Alphia James in Women’s Singles WH2, Pramod Bhagat in Men’s Singles SL3, Pramod Bhagat and Sukant Kadam also n won a bronze in men’s doubles. Surya Kant Yadav in Men’s Singles SL4, Ruthick Raghupati in Men’s Singles SU5 and Manisha Ramdass in Women’s Singles SU5. Ruchi Trivedi and Poland’s Natalia Grzyb secured bronze in Women’s Doubles WH1-WH2, while Abu Hubaid and Pallavi Kaluvehalli finished third in Mixed Doubles WH1-WH2. Sanjana Kumari and Shanthiya Vishwanathan earned bronze in Women’s Doubles SL3-SU5, and Kumar Nitesh along with Thulasimathi Murugesan secured bronze in Mixed Doubles SL3-SU5.
