Japan, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) Sukant Kadam reached the milestone he once turned into a personal promise at the Japan Para Badminton International on Sunday, winning two silver medals to complete a career tally of 100, but the World No. 2 SL4 player was already looking beyond the landmark towards the Asian Games.
The 31-year-old Indian added the milestone medals in Japan in contrasting fashion. He finished runner-up in the men’s singles SL4 after losing 21-8, 21-16 to France’s Lucas Mazur, before joining Pramod Bhagat in the men’s doubles SL3-SU5 final, where the Indians went down 21-5, 21-15 to Indonesia’s Hikmat Ramdani and Fredy Setiawan.
For Kadam, though, the significance lay less in the colour of the medals and more in the number attached to them.
“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. 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,” Kadam said.
The journey to that promise began far from the international badminton circuit. A cricket injury at the age of 10, followed by multiple surgeries, left Kadam unable to bend his left knee. It was a silver medal at the 2012 London Paralympics by Girisha Nagarajegowda that helped point him towards para-sport and eventually para-badminton.
Based in Pune, Kadam trains under Olympian Nikhil Kanitkar and his coaching team at NKBA. Over the years, the journey has been shaped not just by medals but also by the support around him.
“No athlete reaches a milestone like this alone. A heartfelt thank you to my coaches Nikhil Kanitkar and Mayank Gole for believing in me, standing by me, challenging me and guiding me in the best ways possible. Your belief has been a huge part of this journey. I am deeply grateful to the Sports Authority of India, Government of Maharashtra, Badminton Association of India, Paralympic Committee of India and Olympic Gold Quest for their constant support, encouragement and belief in my journey. To my family, friends, teammates, support staff and everyone who has stood beside me through the highs and lows — this medal belongs to you too,” he added.
Yet the 100th medal has not altered Kadam’s immediate priorities. With the Asian Games next on the horizon, he sees the Japan campaign as preparation rather than a finish line.
“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. I want to take the confidence from this tournament, continue working hard and give my best for India when it matters most,” he concluded
Source: IANS
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