NEW DELHI: Bornil Aakash Changmai extended his remarkable form to win the second-ever gold medal for India in the U15 boys' singles division on Sunday at the Badminton Asia U17 and U15 Junior Championships in Chengdu, China, on Sunday.
Hailing from Assam, the top-seeded shuttler in the under-15 boys' singles section in the Badminton Association of India rankings, further solidified his reputation on the Asian stage by defeating Fan Hong Xuan of China.
Indian shuttlers have played brilliantly in China against the top players of the world in recent times and Bornil also displayed the same composure and skill, particularly in a tightly-contested first game, and proceeded to assert his dominance in the second, ultimately clinching victory at 21-19, 21-13 in straight games.
Indian badminton has been scaling new heights in recent years marked by a string of remarkable victories in various high-profile competitions. Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy now hold the distinction of being the world's number-one men's doubles pair in the BWF rankings.
Their stellar 2023 performance, which included a historic gold medal at the Asian Games 2022 in the individual event and a silver in the team competition, contributed to their top ranking.
Prannoy H.S. has also been a standout, earning bronze medals at both the World Championships and the Asian Games individual event in China.
The remarkable success story extends to the junior circuit as well, where Ayush Shetty secured a prestigious bronze in the BWF World Junior Championships and now Bornil Chiangmai also shone brightly by clinching a gold medal in the U15 boys' singles category at the Badminton Asia U17 and U15 Junior Championships.