World Junior Badminton Championship: Tanvi Sarma eyes gold for India

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: Rising Indian badminton star Tanvi Sarma is gearing up for the final of the World Junior Badminton Championship with strong confidence and determination. After a convincing semi-final win, Tanvi is optimistic about bringing home the gold medal on Sunday. The shuttler, who trains at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, will face Thailand’s Anyapat Phichitpreechasak in the final on Sunday, which will be held at the same venue. This will be the second time when the two athletes will meet on court.

Speaking to the media after her semi-final victory, Tanvi expressed satisfaction with her performance.

“I felt very comfortable today and I am really happy with how I played,” she said.

“I made a few mistakes at 12-4 in the second game, but my coach advised me to play my strokes slightly inside the lines — and it worked.”

Looking ahead to the final, she added, “I’ll try my best to play my natural game and take control early. I also want to minimize my errors.”

Meanwhile, Indian singles coach Park Tae Sang praised Tanvi’s performance and expressed confidence in her potential to clinch the gold.

“We’ve been monitoring her progress for several months, and she has consistently shown great form. Today, she played an excellent game and it was much better than her performance in the quarterfinal on Friday. I believe Tanvi has a strong chance to win gold on Sunday,” Park said.

He also highlighted her future prospects, stating, “Tanvi has tremendous potential and could very well earn a spot on the Indian team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.”

Commenting on Team India’s overall performance in the World Junior Badminton Championship, Park said, “We have targeted a podium finish in the mixed team event and also three medals from the women shuttlers in the open categories.”

He further praised the facilities at the National Centre of Excellence in Guwahati, noting that the centre has the potential to produce many shuttlers who can dominate at the international level in the coming years.

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