New Delhi: India guaranteed a maiden medal at the BWF World Junior Mixed Team Championships after a thrilling quarterfinal victory over Korea on Thursday. The hosts triumphed 44-45, 45-30, 45-33 in a nail-biting clash that lasted nearly three hours, booking a semifinal spot and ensuring their first-ever mixed-team medal in the tournament’s history.
In the semifinals, India will face the reigning Asian U-19 mixed team champions Indonesia, who defeated Chinese Taipei 45-35, 45-35 in their quarterfinal.
India’s strategy relied heavily on their singles players to counter Korea’s doubles strength. The first set saw Indian pairs struggle early: Bhargav Ram Arigela and Viswa Tej Gobburu lost the boys’ doubles 5-9, while Vennala K and Reshika U won the girls’ doubles 10-9. Rounak Chouhan narrowed the gap with an 11-9 win, but a mixed doubles loss meant Unnati Hooda had to fight fiercely, drawing level at 44-44 before narrowly losing the set.
Adjustments in the second set proved decisive. C Lalramsanga replaced Gobburu and Vishakha Toppo came in for Bisht. Lalramsanga and Bhargav secured a 9-7 win, while Vennala and Reshika extended India’s lead. From there, India maintained control, and Unnati wrapped up the set with relative ease.
The third set saw India initially leading, with Chouhan and the doubles teams extending the advantage. Unnati sealed the match with a 9-4 victory over Kim Han Bi, sparking celebrations as India confirmed its historic medal.
This landmark achievement reflects India’s growing strength in junior badminton and promises an exciting semifinal clash against Indonesia.
