Fifteen-year-old Tanvi Patri became the first Indian woman shuttler to win an individual silver medal at the Youth Olympics after a gruelling three-game final against China’s Zhang Yi Xin in Dakar on Thursday night. The Indian youngster saved six match points and had three chances to claim the title before falling 21-15, 13-21, 24-26 to the reigning world junior champion in a contest that lasted one hour and 22 minutes.
Before Tanvi, HS Prannoy in 2010 and Lakshya Sen in 2018 were the only Indians to have won individual silver medals at the Youth Olympic Games. Her historic result adds a significant milestone for Indian badminton at the youth level.
In the final, Tanvi took time to settle in the opening game before reeling off seven straight points to move from 3-5 to 10-5. She created openings with her punch tosses and controlled the net brilliantly to take the first game in 25 minutes. She then began the second game with a 4-0 lead, but drift from behind started to affect her control on clears, allowing Zhang to seize control after the mid-game interval and force a decider.
Zhang took charge early in the third game with her trademark cross-court drops, opening a 19-10 lead. Tanvi fought back to close the gap to four points at 19-15, but an error on a cross-court smash handed her opponent five match points. The Indian saved those points and created three opportunities to wrap up the gold, but Zhang’s experience ultimately made the difference.
Badminton Association of India General Secretary Sanjay Mishra said Tanvi had made the entire nation proud. “Tanvi Patri has made the entire nation proud with a historic achievement at the Youth Olympic Games. Winning a silver medal at just 15 is an extraordinary accomplishment and a moment of immense pride for India,” he said.
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/11/07/tanvi-signs-off-with-silver-at-youth-oly/
Category: SPORTS
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Publish Date: 2026-11-07 02:51:00
