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Tanvi Patri won a historic silver medal in women’s singles at the ongoing Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
Tanvi Patri is the 3rd Indian to win Youth Olympic silver. (Picture Credit: X/BAI Media)
Tanvi Patri has etched her name in Indian badminton history. She has become the first Indian women’s singles player to win a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games.
The 15-year-old narrowly missed out on the gold after losing a gripping final against reigning world junior champion Zhang Yi Xin in Dakar (Senegal) on Thursday.
In what was a fiercely contested summit clash, Tanvi saved six match points and missed three opportunities of her own to eventually endure a 15-21, 21-13, 26-24 defeat.
The thrilling contest lasted an hour and 22 minutes.
Before Tanvi’s historic feat, HS Prannoy (2010) and Lakshya Sen (2018) had secured individual silver medals at the Youth Olympic Games in men’s singles event.
Sen had also won the mixed team gold medal in 2018 as part of Team Alpha, which featured shuttlers representing eight different countries.
Tanvi took some time to settle into the finale and soon found her rhythm in the opening game. Trailing 3-5, she produced a remarkable seven-point streak to move ahead 10-5. Her punch tosses created openings, while her sharp control around the net helped her take the first game in 25 minutes.
The Indian carried that momentum into the second game, racing to a 4-0 advantage.
However, the drift from behind her began to disrupt her control over the clears. Zhang capitalised on the change in conditions and stepped up her game after the mid-game interval to level the contest and force a decider.
The Chinese shuttler seized the initiative in the third game, using her trademark cross-court drops to establish a commanding 19-10 lead. Tanvi refused to give up and mounted a spirited comeback, reducing the deficit to 19-15.
However, an error on a cross-court smash from the Indian gave Zhang five match points. Tanvi showed tremendous resilience to save all five and subsequently earned three opportunities to seal the gold medal herself.
“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,” Badminton Association of India General Secretary said in a statement.
“Her fighting spirit, composure and performances throughout the competition reflect the immense potential of our young sporting generation. This achievement is a significant milestone for Indian sport and a testament to the growing presence of our athletes on the global stage. On behalf of the Badminton Association of India and its member colleagues, I congratulate Tanvi and everyone who has supported her journey,” he added.
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Ask News18Tanvi Patri played reigning world junior champion Zhang Yi Xin in the summit clash at Dakar, Senegal.
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Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience …Read More
November 06, 2026, 07:49 IST
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