Tejas returns with four medals from first international match
Maidenhead player claims gold, silver and bronze medals in u15s home nations quadrangular
Maidenhead's Tejas Singh returned from his first international home nations tournament in Milton Keynes this weekend with four medals around his neck after helping his country to the team gold and coming within a whisker of the title in the individual events.
England had a stronghold on the team event from the start, finishing clear of a solid Scottish team in second place. The players then competed in a series of individual and doubles events.
Tejas, who lives in Foxborough Court just off Shoppenhangers Road, claimed two individual silver medals with his playing partner in the men's doubles and mixed doubles and finished third in the open singles.
He was thwarted on all three occasions by England's number one seed, Yixiang Hou, who took gold in all three of those events. Tejas, 13, managed to take a set off Yixiang when they clashed in the singles, but the top seed fought back to seal victory with wins in the second and third sets.
Reflecting on the event, Tejas' father Sandeep, said: “It was a great weekend of badminton for the England team. We wrapped up the day with a few medals in the individual event.
“Tejas was denied gold by the same players in all three events, such is life in individual sports. Though he still came home with medals in all categories.” Tejas has been playing Badminton since the age of eight and, when his talent was spotted at the age of 10, he was fast-tracked onto the England Junior Pathway Programme where he continues to develop his game as one of the most promising young players in the country.
His impressive performances in Milton Keynes have backed up his recent success at the Gold Tournament in Yorkshire where he won gold in the boys' doubles and mixed doubles, while also claiming silver in the singles.
Alistair Jones, centre manager of Wycombe Badminton Centre (his primary training venue), said: “Tejas has been working very closely with the Wycombe Performance Coaches, both individually as well as training in a small group of talented players, in the lead up to the four Nations Quadrangular event, held last week. It is no surprise to his Coach Harley Towler, or any of the Performance team, that Tejas medalled across all three disciplines ,whist competing against the strongest opposition at U15 level within the four home Countries.
“It is without question that Tejas has the potential to achieve great things within the sport of Badminton. The whole performance team, as well as the Management, and our playing members, congratulate Tejas on his achievements so far.
“We hope this initial International success will create a deeper desire for him to reach his full potential, and we hope that many more podium finishes lie ahead for him in the future.
“Wycombe performance players have produced three players who have gone on to represent England at senior level, in recent years, and Tejas is showing all the signs that he may do the same.”
Tejas is a national champion in the boys' doubles at u13s level and is currently ranked third in u15s singles, second in the u15s doubles and second in the u15s mixed rankings.