27 September 2024
Dan Bethell is already serious about how he could make his second near-miss silver at Paris 2024 a constructive.
The Tokyo silver medallist was trying to improve his place on the rostrum this outing however got here up quick in his quest for the last word prize throughout a nail-biting encounter with India’s Kumar Nitesh.
Whereas nonetheless serious about what may have been, the Tub-born badminton star is hungrier than ever to make sure the sensation doesn’t linger as he seems forward to brighter days.
“The principle level of going to Paris was to get a medal and win gold,” he mentioned. “I got here up quick and I nonetheless have a bittersweet feeling.
“Having a gold medal level, I couldn’t have been a lot nearer,” he added. “It’s disappointing I misplaced. [My medal] is the incorrect color however that offers me a lot motivation for LA 2028.”
The 28-year-old isn’t any novice to the worldwide stage, having received ParalympicsGB’s first-ever badminton medal in Tokyo, however whereas the sting of defeat stays, he’s taking the positives from Paris too.
Trying again on the current Paralympic Video games Badminton England couldn’t be prouder of all of the athletes representing @TeamGB! 🇬🇧
We glance again at how inspiring all our representatives have been on the event 👏#ASportForEveryone pic.twitter.com/1xJrcIQmiM
— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) September 27, 2024
“The entire Paris expertise was wonderful,” he mentioned. “The additional away it will get, there’s an elevated feeling of satisfaction.
“The comparability to Tokyo was big. There have been strict Covid restrictions at that Video games so to have the crowds in Paris was wonderful, they have been so captivated with badminton. It was surreal to stroll on the market in entrance of everybody.
“Among the finest elements was having household and mates there too,” he added. “We had a fantastic British contingent within the crowd – we have been all the time searching for British flags.”
Whereas Bethell missed the opening ceremony, which fell the evening earlier than his opening match, he did have the possibility to completely embrace the Paralympic spirit after his personal competitors ended.
Bethell was in attendance as teammate Krysten Coombs upgraded bronze for silver in an electrifying match with French hope Charles Noakes.
“Krysten’s’ ultimate was the spotlight of the entire Video games for me,” Bethell mentioned. “Simply sitting there and listening to the nationwide anthem belted out – it was an unbelievable expertise to see how the gang had taken to it and the way far the game has come.
“That was the epitome of the Video games, however the closing ceremony gave me an opportunity to replicate on how proud I used to be to be in Paris and be a Paralympian too.”
Paralympic Video games 2024
Bethell and his group are on a well-earned coaching break however he believes time away from the game has given him the possibility to replicate on the hard-fought journey that carried him to Paris.
“Simply off the again of Tokyo and dropping the ultimate there, that was arduous to take,” he mentioned. “I bounced again from that properly and had a very sturdy three-year run – I solely misplaced two matches in that three-year stint.
“It’s simply unlucky these have been within the World Championship and Paralympic finals,” he added. “I used to be within the type of my life, I went unbeaten for 18 months to 2 years and was actually happy with the build-up and journey. I do know I labored arduous.”
An invite to Downing Avenue meant the occasion didn’t cease as Bethell and his fellow Paralympic and Olympic friends landed again on house turf, as a choose quantity joined Prime Minister Keir Starmer for celebrations at No. 10.
“I had an e mail saying ‘The Prime Minister invitations Daniel Bethell to a reception at Downing Avenue’ and initially I assumed it was spam,” he mentioned.
“There have been 50-60 athletes throughout the Olympics and Paralympics there, and it was wonderful to undergo the iron gates after which stroll via the door that’s so well-known.
What a yr it’s been for Badminton in England 🤩
We’re so happy with all of the wonderful achievements since launching our technique final yr and we will’t look forward to what lies forward!https://t.co/M1U9AUjETk
— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) September 26, 2024
“I used to be wanting round to see if there was a memento, however the safety was actually tight,” he added. “As quickly as we bought via the door, we needed to hand over a cellphone right away and there have been eyes all over the place.
“It was good to satisfy Olympic athletes and commerce notes. I used to be fortunate sufficient to satisfy Keir Starmer and he reiterated how proud the nation was of all of us. That meant quite a bit to me.”
After a summer season of labor – and a few well-deserved play, subsequent up on the agenda for Bethell is a transfer from Sheffield again to his house metropolis of Tub, the place he’ll construct in direction of LA 2028.
“I used to coach out of Tub College earlier than I moved as much as Sheffield,” he mentioned. “I’ll nonetheless work very intently with the programme in Sheffield however the plan is to construct into and qualify for LA.
“I’ve heard rumours of how huge it’ll be,” he added. “Somebody even instructed me there might be three completely different villages, so I can see the USA doing it larger.
“We noticed a few gamers from America in Paris and so they had the identical equipment because the Olympic group, so there’s extra funding going into it. I’m positive they may wish to placed on a present.”
