Tanvi scripts history, becomes first Indian woman to win Youth Olympics badminton medal

Fifteen-year-old Tanvi Patri made history by winning the silver medal in the women's singles badminton event at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal. The Odisha native became the first Indian woman to reach the final and win a medal at the tournament. She narrowly missed out on gold after an 82-minute final against China's reigning World Junior Champion Zhang Yi Xin, losing 15-21, 21-13, 24-26.

Patri staged a remarkable comeback in the deciding game of the final, saving five consecutive match points from 10-19 down before eventually succumbing 24-26. Earlier in the competition, the third-seeded shuttler defeated Thailand's Kakanik Kungkaew in the quarterfinals and Japan's second-seeded Yuzuno Watanabe in the semifinals. Her silver medal joins previous Youth Olympic badminton podium finishes by Indian players H.S. Prannoy in 2010 and Lakshya Sen in 2018.