Sivarajan’s stunning dives break internet as fans bow down to ‘flying’ shuttler

Indian para-badminton player Sivarajan Solaimalai captured the attention of fans on social media platforms after his remarkable display of athleticism during the 2024 Paralympics in Paris went viral. Competing in the SH6 category, Solaimalai’s incredible commitment to winning a point during his game against Hong Kong’s Man-kai Chu became the talk of social media when a video surfaced of him diving across the court.
Fans around the world lauded his relentless effort and breathtaking fitness as he seemingly “flew” across the court in pursuit of taking the point.
The moment occurred during the second game of Solaimalai’s group-stage match against Chu. In a crucial phase where Solaimalai needed to mount a comeback, he made extraordinary dives to both sides of the court after being caught off-guard by Chu’s deceptive drop shots.
Despite being stretched to his limits, Solaimalai retrieved the shots with an incredible leap, showcasing his brilliant athleticism. The sequence of play drew widespread admiration.
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Here’s how fans reacted:

However, despite his heroic efforts, Solaimalai couldn’t secure the win. The Indian para-shuttler eventually lost the match in a tightly contested three-game battle. After dropping the first game 13-21, Solaimalai staged a spirited comeback to win the second game 21-18. Yet, the decider saw Chu regain control, leading to Solaimalai’s defeat with a final scoreline of 13-21, 21-18, 15-21.
This was Solaimalai’s second loss in Group A, following his straight-games defeat to Indonesia’s Subhan in his Paralympics opener.
Solaimalai still has a group-stage match left, where he will face Great Britain’s Krysten Coombs. Already out of contention for a place in the next round, Solamalai will seek to end his Paralympics campaign on a high note.
Meanwhile, other Indian shuttlers at the Paralympics 2024 have been making their mark. Tokyo Games silver medallist Suhas Yathiraj continued his impressive run, securing a spot in the men’s singles SL4 semifinals.
Suhas, who is also a 2007 batch IAS officer, showcased his class by defeating Korea’s Shin Kyung Hwan with a score of 26-24, 21-14, topping Group A. Alongside Suhas, Nitesh Kumar also advanced to the semifinals in the men’s singles SL3 category, further adding to India’s success in the badminton arena.
In the women’s singles SU5 category, Murugesan Thulasimathi delivered a dominant performance to reach the semifinals after topping Group A. She secured her place in the knockout stages with a comprehensive 21-12, 21-8 victory over Portugal’s Beatriz Monteiro.