Badminton Asia U17 & U15 C'ships: Shaina, Diksha clinch gold as India finish with best medal haul

Chengdu, Oct 26 (IANS) Shaina Manimuthu (U15) and Diksha Sudhakar (U17) clinched gold medals in their respective age categories as India registered their best-ever performance in the Badminton Asia U17 & U15 Championships 2025 on Sunday.

In the U15 girls’ singles final, Shaina defeated Japan’s Chiharu Tomita 21-14, 22-20 before Diksha Sudhakar got the better of compatriot Lakshya Rajesh 21-16, 21-9 in the U17 girls’ singles final.

Diksha also became the first Indian singles player ever to win a U17 title at the Junior Asian Championships. Sunday’s results meant that the India contingent will return home with two gold, one silver and two bronze medals.

The last time India won two gold medals was in 2013 when Siril Verma won the U15 boys’ singles title while Chirag Shetty and MR Arjun claimed the U17 boys’ doubles crown.

On Sunday, Shaina became the fourth Indian girls singles player to clinch the U15 crown as she dominated Tomita in the opening game and then staved off a late challenge in the second game to close out the match in 44 minutes.

Later, Diksha became the first Indian girls singles player to clinch the U17 title, dominating the 27-minute all-Indian final.

Jagsher Singh Khanggura, in boys’ singles, and the mixed doubles pair of Jangjeet Singh Kajla and Jananika Ramesh had bagged bronze medals on Saturday after falling in the semi-finals.

In the mixed doubles semis, Jangjeet Singh Kajla and Jananika Ramesh went down 17-21, 21-18, 21-16 against I An Chang and Yo Han Wang of Chinese Taipei.

Meanwhile, Jagsher Singh Khangurra lost his boys' singles semi-final against China’s Hong Tian Yue 21-11, 21-16.

Indian medal winners

Diksha Sudhakar - gold medal in U17 girls’ singles

Shaina Manimuthu - gold medal in U15 girls’ singles

Lakshya Rajesh - silver medal in U17 girls’ singles

Jagsher Singh Khangurra - bronze medal in U17 boys’ singles

Jangjeet Singh Kajla and Jananika Ramesh - bronze medal in U17 mixed doubles

--IANS

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