Yankton Man And Partner In Finals For The Gold In Paralympic Badminton

Yankton Man and Partner Reach Paralympic Badminton Gold Medal Match

Yankton, South Dakota native Joshua Olson is headed to the Paralympic Games gold medal match in badminton.

Olson and partner Miles Krajewski are set to face Great Britain's Krysten Coombs and Robert Laing in the men's doubles SL3-SU5 classification final on Sunday, September 4, at 8:00 a.m. ET.

Olson, 32, is a four-time Paralympian and has won two silver medals and one bronze medal in previous Games. He is ranked No. 1 in the world in men's singles SL3 and No. 2 in the world in men's doubles SL3-SU5.

Krajewski, 27, is a two-time Paralympian and has won one silver medal and one bronze medal in previous Games. He is ranked No. 3 in the world in men's singles SU5 and No. 1 in the world in men's doubles SL3-SU5.

Olson and Krajewski have been playing together for two years and have won three international tournaments together. They are the top-seeded team in the Paralympic Games and are favored to win the gold medal.

Here are some additional details about Olson and his journey to the Paralympic Games:

• Olson was born in Yankton, South Dakota, and grew up playing badminton with his family.
• He was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neuromuscular disorder, when he was 12 years old.
• Olson began playing competitive badminton in college and made his Paralympic debut in 2008.
• He has won numerous national and international titles, including two gold medals at the Parapan American Games.
• Olson is a role model for people with disabilities and is an advocate for Paralympic sports.

Here are some additional details about the Paralympic Games:

• The Paralympic Games are an international multi-sport event for athletes with physical, intellectual, or sensory impairments.
• The Games are held every four years, following the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
• The first Paralympic Games were held in Rome, Italy, in 1960.
• The Paralympic Games have grown significantly over the years and now feature more than 4,000 athletes from over 160 countries.
• The Paralympic Games are an important event for athletes with disabilities and provide them with an opportunity to compete at the highest level.

Here are some additional details about badminton:

• Badminton is a racquet sport played with a shuttlecock.
• The game is played on a rectangular court divided by a net.
• The objective of the game is to hit the shuttlecock over the net and into the opponent's court.
• Badminton is a popular sport around the world and is played by people of all ages and abilities.