JAIPUR: A lot has changed since Tokyo 2020 when
Krishna Nagar
won a maiden gold at the Paralympics. The fame and money that came along with success has made him more responsible. The last three years have not just been about managing and moulding himself to the demands of a life of a successful sportsperson, but it has also been about adjusting himself in a set-up where his mother is no longer present.
A more confident looking Krishna, who no longer carries any complex because of dwarfism, says he is now a mature shuttler as he gears up to defend his men’s singles SH6 (standing/short stature) category title at the Paris Paralympics scheduled from August 28 to September 8.
The 4 feet, 5 inches tall shuttler is among 13 Indian para-shuttlers who have made the cut.
“Responsibility increased after I lost my mother six months after the Tokyo outing. Since I am the eldest of the three siblings, I automatically took charge of so many things at home after my mother’s passing. What all has happened in the last three years has added to my maturity, be it in dealing with the personal life or while at the court dealing with the varied situations of the game,” said the Jaipur-based shuttler, who lost his mother in an unfortunate accident as she fell from the terrace of their house.
Talking about improvement in his game, Krishna said that his game in 2024 is different from what it was in 2021. “My speed has improved, I am more agile now and have more variations to tackle the opponents. My health has also improved a lot. I have learnt how to change the game pattern frequently during a match and also according to the opponent. I have also worked a lot upon having a positive mindset,” he shared.
The 25-year-old trains in Jaipur at the SMS Stadium under Yadvendra Singh and Manoj Dasot, who is also the secretary of the Rajasthan
Badminton
Association. Krishna has submitted a request to take his ‘Yadvendra sir’ along for the flagship tournament.
Before the 2024 Paralympics, Krishna will play the 4 Nations Para Badminton International in Scotland.
“In 2021 he was not a world champion. But he will enter the Paris Paralympics as a world champion and a World No.1. His preparation is pretty good this year and we are hopeful that he will win a gold medal yet again,” added the para-shuttler’s coach Yadvendra.
