India’s badminton squad rode a surprising bronze medal from the mixed‑team event into the BWF World Junior Championships underway in Guwahati’s National Centre of Excellence. The 25‑player team is now firing on all cylinders, hoping to turn that early success into silver and gold medals across individual and paired competitions.
The bronze came when India beat Korea in the quarter‑finals of the team event—a historic win that put the country on the junior world map. Since the first mixed‑team medal, India has chased new titles and already has 11 individual medals from earlier editions, including four silvers and a lone gold from Saina Nehwal’s win in Pune 17 years ago.
Girls’ singles spotlight
Junior world No. 1 Tanvi Sharma and China Open quarter‑finalist Unnati Hooda are India’s best bet for a second gold. Tanvi, an Asian U‑19 bronze medallist, enjoys a bye in round one and may face Indonesian seed #7 Thalita Wiryawan in the quarter‑finals. Unnati, seeded eighth, starts in round two against Hong Kong’s Liu Hoi Kiu Anna, with a potential last‑eight clash versus Thailand’s #2 seed Anyapat Phichitpreechasak.
Two more Indian hopefuls, Vennala K and world No. 41 Rakshita Sree, are in the same quarter‑final bracket. Vennala must beat China’s Liu Si Ya, former Asian U‑19 semifinalist, while Rakshita faces Sri Lanka’s fourth‑seeded Ranithma Liyanage.
Boy’s singles challenges
The boys face a tougher road. Lalthazuala Hmar likely meets the world junior top‑seed Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah of Indonesia in round 32. Rounak Chouhan, seed 11, gets a tight test against China’s Li Zhi Hang. In the third round, compatriots Gnana Dattu TT and 15th‑seeded Suryaksh Rawat may clash head‑to‑head.
Doubles dreams
In boys’ doubles, former junior world No. 1 pair Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu open against Slovenia’s Andrej Macek and Andrej Suchy. The sixth‑seeded Indians will meet China’s reigning Asian Junior champions Chen Jun Ting and Liu Jun Rong in the last eight.
Bhavya Chhabra and Sumith A R start in round 64 against Danish‑born Philip Kryger Boe and his partner Salomon Thomasen, while Vishnu Kode and Mithilesh P. Krishnan battle France’s seventh‑seeded duo Thibault Gardon and Mady Sow.
Girls’ doubles also feature tough draws. Vennala K and Reshika U play a Japanese pair in round 32, while Gayatri and Mansa Rawat meet Chinese opponents at the same stage. Angel Punera and Aanya Bisht could face Korea’s fifth‑seeded pair Cheon Hye In and Moon Seo in the pre‑quarterfinals.
Mixed doubles hopes
Mixed doubles team C Lalramsanga and Taarini Suri, who were finalists at the Junior Grand Prix in Pune, will face Japan’s eighth‑seeded Shuji Sawada and Aoi Banno in round 3. Bhavya Chhabra and Vishakha Toppo, seeded 14th, must dispatch France’s third‑seeded pair Thibault Gardon and Agathe Cuevas before meeting Thailand’s sixth‑seeded duo in the last eight.
With momentum from the bronze medal win, India’s young stars are ready to press hard. The BWF World Junior Championships offer a chance for the country to build on its legacy and bring home more medals, keeping the buzz alive for Indian badminton fans worldwide.
Source: aninews
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