New Delhi, November 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India’s Tanvi Patri created history at the 2026 Summer Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, by becoming the country’s first women’s singles badminton player to win a silver medal at the Games.
The 15-year-old narrowly missed out on gold after losing a thrilling final against reigning World Junior Champion Zhang Yi Xin of China on Thursday. Zhang prevailed 15-21, 21-13, 26-24 in a contest lasting one hour and 22 minutes.
The final was closely fought, with Tanvi saving six match points and having three opportunities of her own to seal the title before Zhang eventually secured victory.
Tanvi had become the first Indian female shuttler to reach the badminton final at the Youth Olympics on Wednesday. Before her achievement, H.S. Prannoy (2010) and Lakshya Sen (2018) had won individual silver medals in badminton at the Games. Sen had also claimed mixed team gold in 2018 as part of Team Alpha, featuring players from eight countries.
In Thursday’s final, Tanvi recovered from an early deficit in the opening game, stringing together seven consecutive points to take a 10-5 lead. Her attacking punch tosses and control at the net helped her win the game 21-15.
She started the second game strongly with a 4-0 advantage, but Zhang capitalised on the conditions and took control after the interval to level the match 21-13.
The decider appeared to be slipping away from the Indian when Zhang surged to a 19-10 lead through her cross-court drops. Tanvi mounted a spirited comeback, narrowing the gap to 19-15 and subsequently saving multiple match points. However, despite creating three opportunities to finish the contest, she could not convert them, and Zhang clinched the gold 26-24.
Badminton Association of India General Secretary praised Tanvi’s performance, saying her silver medal at just 15 was an extraordinary achievement and a moment of pride for the country.
He also lauded her fighting spirit and composure, describing the result as an important milestone for Indian badminton and a reflection of the potential of the country’s young athletes.
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