3 days ago
Ludhiana: City paddler bags bronze at US para event
Para table tennis player Shubham Wadhwa has once again brought laurels to the city, clinching a bronze medal in the mixed doubles event at the ITTF World Para Elite, held in Spokane, Washington, from August 6 to 13. Para table tennis player Shubham Wadhwa has won a bronze medal in mixed doubles In ITTF World Para Elite. (HT Photo)
Partnering with Paralympic medalist Bhavina Patel, the 29-year-old outclassed Slovakia and France with identical 3-0 wins before bowing out in the semifinals against Korea. The championship featured players from nearly 30 countries, making the podium finish a significant achievement.
This latest triumph comes just weeks after Wadhwa's double-bronze feat at the ITTF World Para Future tournament in Taipei, Taiwan, from June 26 to 29. In men's doubles, he blanked Taipei 3-0 in the group stage and edged Singapore 3-2 in a tense quarterfinal before losing to Korea 1-3 in the last four. In mixed doubles, he once again fought his way to the podium.
Currently in his final year of engineering, Wadhwa has been enjoying a stellar 2025 season. In March, he won gold at the Khelo India Para Games in New Delhi, defeating Rajasthan's Madhuram 3-0 in the final. Earlier, at the UTT 2nd Para Table Tennis National Ranking Championship in Vadodara, he bagged two golds and a bronze.
Wadhwa's winning streak began earlier this year with a silver at the ITTF World Para Future Costa Brava Spanish Open, where he beat opponents from Hungary and France before finishing runner-up to a French player. His track record includes multiple national titles, gold in men's singles Class-3 at the UTT Para Table Tennis National Ranking Championship in Indore in November 2023, and three golds at the 2023 UTT Para Table Tennis Nationals. Internationally, he also captured mixed doubles gold at the ITTF Fa40 Thailand Para Open in July last year.
In 2016, a life-altering road accident left him with a spinal injury and temporary paralysis. It was at the table tennis board that he discovered not just a game, but a calling. By 2022, his relentless spirit and hard work bore fruit with his first national gold medal, setting the stage for a career that continues to inspire.
