Tanvi Patri, 15, becomes first Indian to win silver at Youth Olympics in badminton

Tanvi Patri produced a remarkable turnaround from 10 to 19, saving five match points before claiming three gold medal points of her own, but the 15-year-old Indian could not complete a sensational comeback in Thursday’s Dakar Youth Olympic Badminton Games final. China’s Zhang Yi Xin eventually had the last laugh as he won the thrilling contest in three games 15-21, 21-13, 26-24 to deny the Odisha teenager a historic gold medal.

Despite the heartbreaking defeat, Tanvi came back with a silver medal to become the first Indian woman to reach the badminton finals at the Youth Olympics. Her performance against the reigning world junior champion was another indication of the promise she holds, especially given the composure she showed in the face of mounting pressure.

The finale was a battle of contrasts. Tanvi started brightly, taking the opening game 21-15, but Zhang responded strongly in the second to win 21-13 to force a decider. An extraordinary final game followed, in which both players pushed themselves to the absolute limit.

TANVI KNOCKS AFTER AN IMPRESSIVE START TO THE GAME

Zhang opened the opening game with a 5-3 advantage, but Tanvi responded with a stunning seven-point burst to turn the match around. The Indian built an 11-5 lead after the break, using her defensive skills and variety of attacks to put the Chinese shuttler under pressure.

Zhang tried to find her way back into the game, but Tanvi refused to relinquish her advantage. At the halfway stage, the Indian led 13-10 and continued to dictate the rally. She won three straight points from 18-15 to close out the opening game 21-15.

Tanvi carried that momentum into the second game, taking a 4-0 lead. However, Zhang gradually found her rhythm and began to aim for corners, forcing the Indian to cover more ground. The Chinese shuttler fought back to level the scores at 10-10 before Tanvi went into the break with a slim 11-10 lead.

Zhang then took control and stretched her lead to 17-12 before closing out the game 21-13.

The decisive game turned into a test of endurance and temperament. Zhang opened up an 11-7 advantage at the break and appeared to be heading for the title after extending her lead to 19-10.

However, Tanvi refused to give up. She produced an incredible comeback, cutting the deficit to 15-19 and making Zhang work for every point. The Chinese player was awarded five match points but the Indian saved all five to keep her gold medal hopes alive.

Tanvi then turned and made three points of her own. However, she could not transform any of them. Zhang eventually held her nerve to win 26-24 and claim the gold medal after a dramatic finish.

TANVI’S DOMINANT RUN

Tanvia’s silver medal was the culmination of an impressive Dakar campaign where she consistently demonstrated her ability to handle different opponents and match situations.

The Odisha shuttler started their group stage campaign with a commanding 21-8, 21-12 win over Mexico’s Sara Gonzalez. She followed it up with a 21-4, 21-12 win against Australia’s Smrithi Adep before defeating South Korea’s Jeong Yu Jang to advance to the knockout stages.

In the quarterfinals, Tanvi defeated Thailand’s Kungkaew Kakanik 21-17, 21-13 to clinch a medal and become the first Indian woman to reach the semifinals of badminton at the Youth Olympics.

Her biggest test before the final came against Japan’s Yuzuno Watanabe. Tanvi started strongly, winning the opening game 21-14, but the Japanese shooter fought back to win the second 21-11. In the end, the Indian woman held her nerve in a tense decider and won 21:19 after a 54-minute battle for a place in the final.

Before Tanvi, only HS Prannoy, Lakshya Sen and Aditya Joshi had reached the semifinals of badminton at the Youth Olympics. Prannoy won silver at the inaugural edition in Singapore in 2010, while Lakshya finished second in Buenos Aires in 2018. Aditya made it to the last four in 2014.

Tanvi has now joined the list of Indian badminton medallists, becoming the first Indian woman to do so in a singles competition.

India has so far won four medals in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympics, including two silver and two bronze. Khushbu Rajakbhai Darjada bagged silver in women’s 63kg judo, while Tanvi added another silver in badminton. Dhinidhi Desinghu won bronze in women’s 100m freestyle while Rajkumari Lanchenbi Chanu won bronze in women’s Changquan-Gunshu combined wushu.

Although the final ended in heartbreak for Tanvi, her historic silver represents a significant milestone for Indian badminton and a promising start to what could be a remarkable international career.

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