GB’s Bethell defends European Para Badminton title

Dan Bethell won his fifth European men’s singles title in Istanbul as part of the Great Britain team’s successful European Parabadminton campaign.

After winning the title two years ago in Rotterdam, the defending champion again faced Oleksandr Chyrkov in the SL3 final, which came out with a 21-9, 21-8 victory.

The British team won 13 medals overall, including three gold, two silver, and eight bronze, which are given to players who advance to the semi-finals but do not advance.

Bethell, 29, who also holds the title of double Paralympic silver medalist, told Badminton England, “to see so many pathway players performing alongside the GB players is fantastic and shows how much the sport is developing across the country.”

“There have been some incredible performances and triumphs throughout the board.”

Englishman Jack Shephard lost to France’s current Paralympic champion Charles Noakes 21-17 21-12 in the final of the men’s SH6 singles.

However, Shephard, 28, and her 17-year-old compatriot Anya Butterworth took the gold in the mixed doubles after Shephard’s regular partner Rachel Choong, who was injured before the competition, suffered an injury.

In addition to prevailing over the odds, Butterworth also topped the group of women who had previously reached their first European singles final, defeating second-seeded Daria Bujnicka. However, she had to settle for silver after falling to Polish top seed Oliwia Szmigiel 23-21 18-21 21-11 in a tight medal contest.

Krysten Coombs, England’s singles champion, and Noakes, teamed up to take home gold in the SH6 men’s doubles.

In the SH6 category, Scotland’s Scot Andrew Davies won bronze in both the men’s and mixed doubles, while England’s Robert Donald and David Jack Wilson won bronze in the men’s SU5 singles.