A landmark achievement for Frenchwoman Faustine Noel, the only European to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Games in all three Para badminton events

In Dubai a few months ago, Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel achieved the one thing that no other SL3-SU5 mixed doubles pair have been able to. Record a win over Indonesian World Champions Hary Susanto and Leani Ratri Oktila.

Arguably Noel’s best chance at gold next week in Tokyo is with Mazur in the mixed doubles, so the timing of that win could not be better. A 21-19 deciding game victory in the last Para badminton international event prior to the Paralympics, the score proving that years of hard work and good tactics on the day can achieve the impossible.

She partners Lenaig Morin in the SL3-SU5 women’s doubles, the pair bolstered by their first international gold in Spain earlier this year, in a weakened field due to the Covid-19 pandemic which caused the absence of many of the top Asian players. The result enabled them to reach number five in the rankings.

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We spoke with Noel this week, she had this to say about what competing at the Paralympics means to her

- I’m very excited as we move to the Village this week and to be part of the Paralympic Games, I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere in Tokyo, I’m sure it will give me even more spirit and ambition to play well

- My goal at this point is to play well, to focus on my game and play the same way I do at international tournaments. If I can do that, if I can play my level then I know we can have good results.

Can Germans relive World Championship form

Jan-Niklas Pott and Katrin Siebert were unseeded at the 2019 World Championships in Basel Switzerland, yet they had too much firepower for Indonesia third seeds in the quarterfinal Fredy Setiawan and Khalimatus Sukohandoko. 

The German’s greatest test came at 16-16 in the third game of the semi-finals against Toshiaki Suenaga and Akiko Sugino and they had enough experience to cling on for the win and a place in the final against Susanto and Oktila.

The silver medal at Para badminton’s most celebrated event to date gave them huge ranking points to take into the Race to Tokyo qualifying. Yet to record a victory against the Indonesian or French top seeds, the Germans will be European underdogs going into the Yoyogi Stadium on Wednesday

The Paralympic badminton schedule begins at 0900 (Tokyo time zone) Wednesday 01 September with Standing SL3-SU5 mixed doubles. For a full list of matches, click here

We will feature the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic badminton event here and across our usual platforms over the next two weeks, look out for more in days to come