India’s Bhavina Patel and Australia’s Yang Qian, alongside the host nation’s Jack Hunter-Spivey emerged the players to strike gold as the first titles in the Para events at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham were decided on Saturday 6^th August.

Gold medallist and there was one notable common factor, all had secured medals just under a year ago at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

In fact, in women’s singles class 6-10, both finalists had been gold medallsts in the Japanese capital city; Yang Qian had won class 10, Lei Li Na, class 9 winner.

Impressively in the splendid setting of the National Exhibition Centre Yang Qian prevailed (12-10, 16-14, 7-11, 11-9).

Gold for Yang Qian, it was bronze for Nigeria’s Faith Obazuaye; in the third place contest, she accounted for England’s Fliss Pickard (6-11, 11-7, 11-6 , 11-8).

Alas for Fliss Pickard, it was the same outcome as four years earlier in Gold Coast; on that occasion she had been beaten in the bronze medal match by Australia’s Andrea McDonnell (11-2, 11-6, 11-3).

Meanwhile, for Faith Obazuaye, it was one step lower than in 2018; on the east coast of Australia, she had experienced defeat in the final when opposing the home country’s Melissa Tapper (7-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-3).

Gold Coast was the first time at a Commonwealth Games when Para events had been included, class 6-10 (standing) being staged in each of the men’s singles and women’s singles competitions; in Birmingham, class 3-5 (wheelchair) was introduced.

Silver medallist in class 4 at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, India’s Bhavini Patel beat Nigeria’s Ifechukwude Ikpeoyi (12-10, 11-2, 11-9) to claim the top prize; bronze went to compatriot Sonalben Patel, the victor in the third place match when facing England’s Sue Bailey (11-5, 11-2, 11-3).

Disappointment for the hosts but there was jubilation, Jack Hunter-Spivey, in Tokyo the class 5 bronze medallist, secured gold in men’s singles class 3-5; a contest in which the was an air of revenge.

In the group stage two days earlier, he had been beaten by Nigeria’s Nasiru Sule (11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7); in the final they met again, Jack Hunter-Spivey prevailed in four games (11-4, 9-11, 11-6, 11-7).

“On the first day of the competition I let the pressure get to me a bit too much and I didn’t really enjoy it. After that loss I made a conscious effort to just enjoy it and play the level I can do because there are definitely worse jobs in the world. So, I sat down with Rushy (Andrew Rushton) and looked at the game I had lost and thought “I’m getting my revenge – I’m going to beat him like he beat me in the group stages”, and I’ve done it and it is incredible and I can’t wait to move forward now.” Jack Hunter-Spivey

Silver for Nigeria, it was also bronze; Isau Ogunkunle beat India’s Raj Alagar to reserve third spot.

The semi-finals and final of men’s singles class 8-10 will be played on Sunday 6^th August; in the penultimate round, England’s Ross Wilson faces Nigeria’s Tajudeen Akunbiade; Australia’s Ma Lin opposes Welshman, Josh Stacey.