27 July, 2023
Krysten Coombs believes his season has reached a turning point at just the right time ahead of the 4 Nations Para Badminton International in Sheffield.
The Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist was knocked out of the quarter finals of the Canada Open but took Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar to three sets.
And now the 32-year-old will use all of his experience in front of a home crowd at the English Institute for Sport between 2 – 6 August to gain valuable points towards qualification for Paris 2024.
The world SH6 No.6 said: “To play Krishna Nagar and take it to three was really positive and a bit of a turning point for me, I could see what I’d been working on over the past few months.
“It’s going to be great to have that home crowd that’s going to be behind us, I really hope that a lot of people in Sheffield will be able to pop their heads in and watch the best para badminton in the world.
“The Level One of the World Circuit inspires you, you’re more likely to thrive on it, it pushes you more to do well.
🔑 A relaxed mindset is key for Dan Bethell as he prepares for the 4 Nations Para Badminton International.🏴
Current world No.1 in the SL3 men’s singles, Bethell will be among the leading home hopes when action begins on August 2nd.
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— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) July 21, 2023
“To know that the harder you go in the push, the better you play and the results will be double what you get from most other tournaments.
“This tournament is a big one for me, Paris is obviously the dream and if I can keep doing what I’m doing, that is what the aim is.
A Level One tournament, 4 Nations will be one of the biggest para badminton events to ever take place in Britain, with special thanks to Yonex – the Official Equipment Partner of the 4 Nations Para Badminton International.
The event has been created bring together the four Nations on several initiatives with the intention of sharing resources, learning and expertise that will enable more people to play badminton.
For Coombs, who has been a mainstay in the sport for the more than a decade, 4 Nations is an encouraging step for growing para badminton across the UK.
The 4 Nations Para Badminton in Sheffield is truly a home tournament for Jack Shephard.
One of England’s para badminton stars, Shephard is ready to go for gold on home soil. For the 25-year-old, there is an extra special connection to the tournament.
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— Badminton England (@BadmintonEnglnd) July 22, 2023
He said: “I’ve been in the sport for such a long time, and seeing the sport grow but also seeing para badminton in England grow has been incredible.
“We’ve got younger ones coming along which is what we need. Myself and other people will slowly start to stop and once we stop, we need people below us.
“It’s great to be able to showcase para badminton in Sheffield and inspire the younger generation.
“The feeling is amazing when you get those big results in the bigger tournaments.
“I know what I need to do and it’s being able to get onto court and push those things that you really want to get better at.”
For more information and to purchase tickets please visit www.4nationsparabadminton.com
