Daijiworld Media Network - Solo (Indonesia)

Solo (Indonesia), Jul 26: India celebrated a landmark achievement at the Badminton Asia Juniors Individual Championships as rising talents Tanvi Sharma and Vennala Kalagotla clinched bronze medals in the women’s singles category, marking the first time two Indian girls reached the podium in the same edition of the tournament.

In a spirited semifinal battle, Vennala Kalagotla faced China’s Liu Si Ya, falling 15-21, 18-21 in a tightly contested 37-minute match. Down 15-20 in the second game, Vennala saved three match points and briefly rallied, but a crucial error at a pivotal moment handed the Chinese player the win.

Meanwhile, second seed Tanvi Sharma took on China’s eighth seed Yin Yi Qing in the other semifinal, eventually going down 13-21, 14-21. Tanvi had a strong start in the second game, racing to a 6-1 lead, but Yin quickly closed the gap and pulled away to secure a straight-games victory.

Despite the setbacks, both players delivered impressive campaigns. Tanvi, coming off a runner-up finish at the US Open Super 300 last month, demonstrated consistency and form, particularly in her quarterfinal victory over fifth seed Thalita Ramadhani Wiryawan of Indonesia, winning 21-19, 21-14 in just 35 minutes.

Vennala’s path to the semis was a gritty one, as she battled past Thailand’s Janyaporn Meepanthong in a 58-minute thriller. After taking the first game 21-18, she lost the second 17-21 but bounced back in the decider, showing nerves of steel to close out the match 21-17.

The twin bronze medals cap off a breakthrough tournament for India’s junior women’s badminton, underlining the country’s growing depth in the sport and setting the stage for a promising future on the international circuit.