Pramod Bhagat once again proved why he remains a giant of para badminton. The Indian star clinched the men’s SL3 gold medal at the BWF Para World Championships in Manama with a straight-game victory over Indonesia’s Muhammad Al Imran on Saturday.
Bhagat, 37, controlled the final from start to finish. He sealed the match 21-12, 21-18, showing composure and authority under pressure. The win marked his fourth successive singles gold at the world championships and his sixth world title overall in the SL3 category.
The SL3 classification is meant for standing players with significant impairment in the lower limbs. Bhagat, who contracted polio at the age of five, has built an extraordinary career in this division. His world championship singles titles came in 2009, 2015, 2019, 2022 and 2024, underlining his remarkable consistency across eras.
With this latest triumph, Bhagat achieved a historic milestone. He moved past Lin Dan, who won five men’s singles world titles in able-bodied badminton. Bhagat now stands as the most decorated singles champion in world championship history across the sport.
The gold medal also carried emotional weight. Bhagat had earlier served an 18-month suspension for breaching the Badminton World Federation’s anti-doping whereabouts rules, a setback that ruled him out of the 2024 Paris Paralympics. His return to the top of the podium in Manama signals both redemption and resilience.
