India earned a bronze medal at the Yonex Sunrise BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships held in Guwahati, Assam, after a spirited effort fell short against defending champions Indonesia in the semifinals.
The hosts opened the competition with a historic 35‑45, 21‑45 defeat of Korea on Thursday, securing their first mixed‑team medal. In the semifinals on Friday, India fought hard but could not overturn the Indonesian team, who are pre‑tournament favourites. The Indonesian side will now face the winner of the other semifinal between China and Japan.
Key moments of the Indian lineup
- Squad tweak: India made only one change for the semi – Vishakha Toppo replaced Aanya Bisht in mixed doubles – while keeping its proven boys‑doubles pair ready.
- Boys doubles opener: Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu started strong, beating Indonesia’s pair (Muhammad Rizki Mubarrok & Raihan Daffa Pramono) 9‑5 and giving India a hopeful first‑set lead.
- Girls singles: Unnati Hooda pushed Indonesia’s top junior player, Mohd Ubaidillah. Hooda kept the match close at 18‑16 in the first set, but Ubaidillah stunned Rounak Chouhan with an 11‑5 win, moving his side ahead.
- Mixed doubles battle: The Indian combination of Lalramsanga and Vishakha Toppo pulled level at 28‑28 and briefly led 9‑3. Indonesia’s Ikhsan Pramudya and Rinjani Nastine regained momentum at the break, clinching the set 45‑35.
- Second set domination: Indonesia took control immediately in the second set, with Mubarrok and Pramono winning 9‑2 in boys doubles, and performances from Rounak and Wiryawan slipping to 7‑9.
Despite the setback, the Indian team showed resilience. They will now shift focus to the individual championships that start on Monday, aiming to build on their bronze medal achievements.
For more details on India’s journey at the BWF World Junior Championships, stay tuned.
Source: aninews
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