Top shuttlers ready for junior nationals
LUCKNOW : India’s top ranked shuttlers like Priyanshu Rajawat in boys singles and Aakarshi Kashyap in girls singles would be seen in action in the 43rd Junior (U-19) National Badminton Championship, beginning Sunday, at the UP Badminton Academy here.
With 13 career wins, including in doubles, Priyanshu, 16, who hails from Dhar (Madhya Pradesh), start favourites as India’s top junior star at international level, Lakshya Sen has opted out of the domestic event.
One of the trainees at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, Priyanshu, who has been top billing here, had the singles title at the All India Ranking Tournament at Chandigarh this September. Seventeen-year-old Aakarshi, who too has been given top billing in singles here, would also be looking for a top finish here after losing in the quarterfinals at the recently concluded Tata India Open International Challenge.
The Bhilai girl Aakarshi, who is ranked 147th in the world, had a second place finish at the Bulgaria International this year.
The first two days of the sevenday championship, being organized only for the second time in Uttar Pradesh, will see six states i.e. Maharashtra, Air India, Karnataka, Manipur, Delhi and hosts Uttar Pradesh playing in the Inter-State Championship, whereas the main draw of the individual events are due to start on Tuesday.
“It’s a big occasion for the younger generation of Indian badminton to showcase their talent at a bigger stage,” UP Badminton
WITH 13 CAREER WINS, INCLUDING IN DOUBLES, PRIYANSHU, 16, WHO HAILS FROM DHAR (MADHYA PRADESH), START FAVOURITES AS INDIA’S TOP JUNIOR STAR AT INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, LAKSHYA SEN HAS OPTED OUT OF THE DOMESTIC EVENT
Association’s secretary Arun Kakkar said on Friday. He also announced the UP squad for the team championship. It included, Abhyansh Singh, Amolika Singh, Tushar Gagneja, Taneesha Singh, Chirag Seth, Mansi Singh, Ayush Raj Gupta, Shruti Mishra, Shantanu Sharma, Samriddhi Singh, Ankur Dhiman, Gaurav Naman Singh, Balkeshari Yadav, Suraj Lama, Shivam Mishra, Ankit Singh, Rajan Yadav, Anusha Goyal, Shehjar Chaudhary, Shivangi Singh, Shailja Shukla, Arushi Singh, Shubham Anand and Rudrani Jaiswal.
RANKING
Mixed doubles: 1-Sri Krishna Sai Kumar PodileSrishti Jupudi; 2-Edwin Joy-Nafeesah Sara Siraj; 3-Sai Pratheek Krishna Prasad-Ashwini Bhat K; 4-Navaneeth Bokka-Sahithi Bandi; 5-Akshan Shetty-Rashi Lambe. Boys singles: 1-Priyanshu Rajawat; 2-Kiran George; 3-Alap Mishra; 4-Orijit Chaliha; 5-Maisnam Meiraba; 6-Aman Farogh Sanjay; 7-Jaswanth D; 8-Dhruv
Rawat.
Boys doubles: 1-Vishnuvardhan Goud P-Sri Krishna Sai Kumar Podile; 2-Krishna Prasad G-Dhruv Kapila; 3-Manjit SinghKhwairakpam Dingku Sing Konthoujam; 4-Navaneeth BokkaSai Pavan Karri; 5-Sai Rohit B-Akash Chandran.
Girls singles: 1-Aakarshi Kashyap; 2-Malvika Bansod; 3-Gayatri Gopichand Pullela; 4-Purva Barve; 5-Dipti Kuity; 6-Unnati Bisht; 7-Amolika Singh; 8-Nivetha M.
Girls doubles: Simran Singhi-Ritika Thaker; 2-Srishti Jupudi-Varshini VS; 3-Sahithi Bandi-Thanushree R; 4-Aditi Bhatt-Tanisha Crasto.