For Tanvi Patri’s father, the Youth Olympic silver is just the beginning

KOLKATA: While Tanvi Patri put up one of the most remarkable fights during the badminton girls’ singles final at the Youth Olympics, her father Rabinarayan Patri was not in the stands to witness it unfold.Instead, he was rushing around the airport trying to catch his flight.What followed was an emotional roller coaster. The 15-year-old Indian battled back from 10:19 down in the decider against reigning junior world champion Zhang Yi Xin, saving six match points and even winning three of her own before finally going down 15:21, 21:13, 24:26 in the Dakar Marathon on Thursday night.For many, it was a heartbreaking defeat. For her father, it was something else entirely.“Before the match, I told Tanvi that I will be happy even if she wins the silver medal. I told her to enjoy the game, play for herself and play for the country,” Rabinarayan told TOI from Dubai on Friday.The close finish naturally left him wondering what it could have been.“At 24:23 in the final game, one smash just missed the line. It was purely luck. Otherwise, she could have won. But I’m glad that she finished the tournament healthy. That’s the most important thing for me.”Tanvi entered the tournament after falling ill during the Junior World Championships after a long journey and also had to contend with the Dakar heat, lack of air conditioning and mosquitoes.Despite these challenges, the result marked another milestone in the rapid rise of the Odisha shuttler, who trains at the Center for Badminton Excellence (CBE) in Bengaluru.Still, Rabinarayan insists that neither he nor his daughter have been swayed by the younger’s results.“She called me after the game from the washroom crying. She said, ‘Dad, I lost.’His reaction was immediate.“I told her to forget it because the past is the past. She’s already achieved something amazing. I reminded her that this is just the junior circuit. People may remember a result for a month or two, but that’s not what defines a career.”For him, the goal remains much bigger than the Youth Olympic title.“The real goal is an Olympic medal. Winning the junior title is good, but not winning it is not the end of the world. She won the silver medal and fought all the way. It wasn’t like she was outmatched. She put up a huge fight and people saw her potential.”But now the focus will shift to competing in a series of events after injuries disrupted much of her year. She is scheduled to compete in Indonesia, Syed Modi International in Lucknow, Guwahati Masters, Odisha Masters and then the Senior National Championships.“It’s going to be a tough stretch. We may not perform well in every tournament and that’s okay,” he said. “The important thing is that he continues to gain experience against different opponents on the senior circuit.”Strength and conditioning will also remain key areas of focus in the coming year.But the outlook remains uncomplicated for the father whose daughter came close to Olympic youth gold. “I want her to enjoy the game, compete without fear and develop the necessary mindset at the highest level.”And if the Dakar is any indication, the 15-year-old is doing just that.While the silver medal was the biggest achievement of her young career, Tanvia’s favorite memories from the Games didn’t have much to do with the podium. “My most memorable moment was trading badges, making new friends and playing games at the 365 Athlete House,” she said.