Dan Bethel should have been celebrating when he made history at the 2021 Paralympics — but the para-badminton player left Tokyo disappointed.
He won a silver medal in the SL3 category, becoming Britain's first Paralympic medalist in his first competition, but he had hoped for a gold medal.
The pain of the loss to Indian rival Pramod Bhagat has made the 28-year-old the world number one in his sport ahead of this week's World Championships in Thailand, which begin on Tuesday, and the Paralympics in Paris at the end of the year. It became the driving force to become
“Losing in the Tokyo final was one of the most difficult moments of my career because I wanted to be a Paralympic champion,” Bethell, a Briton, told BBC Sport.
“But it was also one of the best things that happened because it taught me a lot about myself and how to deal with loss.
“I've really progressed from there. If I hadn't lost that game, I don't think I would have been as good as I am now. And I've won what I've been winning since then.”
Bethel, who has right-sided hemiplegia that affects muscle tone and strength on the right side of his body, started playing badminton at the age of 13 and has won world silver and bronze medals, but only the world gold medal is missing from his collection. ing.
Bhagat, who holds both world and Paralympic titles, remains one of his main rivals. The two know each other well, and Bethel has the upper hand in 2023 with five titles.
“I know that as world number one I have big goals because he wants to take his place back and retain his title. Having that rivalry is a great way for me to keep moving forward. It’s a big bonus,” he says.
“But I can't get complacent and act like it's all Pramod's problem. World No. 3 Nitesh Kumar has also brought me closer to it.
“At the moment, everyone is very competitive at the top and I don't feel that being world number one is going to be an added pressure for me. After all, when it comes to crucial moments in elite sport, seeding is important. ” It’s not just the numbers, it’s what you do that day that matters.
“My main goal is to compete in these tournaments and become number one in the world and become world champion and Paralympic champion. If I could win both titles in the same year, it would be a great achievement.”
Bethel, who balances sport with studying for a master's degree in international and commercial law, is part of a seven-strong British team that also includes Tokyo bronze medalist Kristen Coombs and three-time world champion Rachel Chung. He will be participating in Thailand as a member of the team. Experienced Jack Sheppard is out due to injury.
After performing well in her Paralympic debut, Bethel said she was better prepared for this summer's Games in France.
“Experience is definitely the best teacher, so you can go to Paris with confidence,” he says.
“Being able to experience my first Olympics in Tokyo really helped because I knew what to expect. There will obviously be some differences this time, although there will be some adjustments because there will be spectators. , having that platform and being able to find out what's going on in the village and stuff like that “works'' and what it's like, and fighting in a big stadium is going to be really good.
“But we have to be prepared for large crowds. As the sport grows, so do the numbers of spectators at the World Championships, but we have never experienced something of the scale we will see in Paris. Never.”
