Germany’s Thomas Wandschneider is the first representative of his country to win a medal in badminton, bronze in the wheelchair category. Bronze, obtained by beating South Korea’s Jaegun Jeong in two sets, is far from insignificant, because Thomas Wandschneider is 60 years old! This makes him the oldest medalist in the history of the Paralympic Games and the oldest at the Games, able-bodied included, since 1912.
Thomas Wandschneider experienced something historic. After winning the longest match in Para badminton history in 1 hour and 43 minutes in the tournament, the man with the long white hair became the oldest medallist at the Paralympic Games at the age of 60.
« I love this medal, I love it, I love it. And I love the crowd, and Paris! It was an incredible week, and one of the best days of my life. ” said the para-badminton player.
He took up badminton late in life, at the age of 37, when he was the victim of a terrible car accident near Hanover. I started in 2000, the year of my accident. I won a lot of world championships. But this is different. It’s much more ».
Five times world champion
Five times world champion, 20 times European champion. The former world number one did not do things by halves. I trained eight hours a day, every day, without taking a vacation for five years. Now I have a medal! In the hospital, when I had my accident, the doctors gave me 3-4 years to live. I said “No! I won’t live anymore” It’s crazy what’s happening to me, crazy… »
- RFI
