Tokyo, September 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Indian para badminton star Sukant Kadam reached a landmark 100 career medals at the Japan Para Badminton International on Sunday, but the World No. 2 SL4 player is already looking ahead to the Asian Games.
The 31-year-old won two silver medals in Japan to complete his career tally of 100. He finished runner-up in the Men’s Singles SL4 after losing 21-8, 21-16 to France’s Lucas Mazur before partnering Pramod Bhagat in the Men’s Doubles SL3-SU5 final, where the Indian pair went down 21-5, 21-15 to Indonesia’s Hikmat Ramdani and Fredy Setiawan.
For Kadam, the significance of the tournament lay in reaching the milestone rather than the colour of the medals.
“I made my international debut in 2014 with a dream in my heart. In 2016, I won my first BWF Para Badminton International medal. And today, in 2026, after years of victories, defeats, injuries, doubts, sacrifices, comebacks and countless hours on the court… Medal No. 100,” Kadam said.
“What started as a dream slowly became a mission. And #DreamOf100 became a promise I made to myself — to keep pushing until I reached this moment,” he added.
Kadam’s journey began after a cricket injury at the age of 10, followed by multiple surgeries that left him unable to bend his left knee. He was inspired to pursue para-sport after watching Girisha Nagarajegowda win a silver medal at the 2012 London Paralympics, eventually taking up para badminton.
Based in Pune, Kadam trains under Olympian Nikhil Kanitkar and his coaching team at NKBA. He credited his coaches, family, teammates, support staff and sporting organisations for helping him reach the milestone.
“The 100th medal is a very special milestone, but for me, it is another step in the journey. My focus now is on the Asian Games,” Kadam said.
“I want to take the confidence from this tournament, continue working hard and give my best for India when it matters most,” he added.
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