Tanvi Pati creates history at the Darkar Youth Olympic 2026 by becoming the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in the singles event.
Published: November 6, 2026, 8:55 AM IST
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Tanvi Patri wins silver at Dakar Youth Olympics 2026 (Image – BAI)
Indian badminton player Tanvi Patri won the silver medal in the women’s singles event at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, on ThursdayShe became the first Indian woman to win a silver medal in badminton singles at the Youth OlympicsTanvi played against China’s Zhang Yi Xin in the final but lost the match 15-21, 21-13, 24-26.
The final lasted for one hour and 22 minutesTanvi fought hard and saved six match points during the matchShe also got three chances to win the match but could not take themZhang won the final game and took the gold medal, while Tanvi had to settle for silver.
Before Tanvi, Indian men’s players HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen had also won silver medals at the Youth Olympic GamesPrannoy won silver in 2010, while Lakshya finished second in 2018Lakshya also won a gold medal in the mixed team event in 2018 as part of Team Alpha, which had players from eight different countries.
Tanvi came very close to winning the gold medal but missed out in the finalStill, her silver medal is a big moment for Indian badmintonShe has shown that she can fight against some of the best young players in the world.
“Tanvi Patri has made the entire nation proud with a historic achievement at the Youth Olympic GamesWinning a silver medal at just 15 is an extraordinary accomplishment and a moment of immense pride for India.
“Her fighting spirit, composure and performances throughout the competition reflect the immense potential of our young sporting generationThis achievement is a significant milestone for Indian sport and a testament to the growing presence of our athletes on the global stageOn behalf of the Badminton Association of India and its member colleagues, I congratulate Tanvi and everyone who has supported her journey,” he added.
In the gold medal match on Thursday, Tanvi started slowly in the first game but soon improved her playShe scored seven points in a row to turn a 3-5 score into a 10-5 leadShe played some good shots near the net and used her punch shots to score pointsTanvi kept up her good play and won the first game in 25 minutes.
Tanvi started the second game well and took a 4-0 leadHowever, the wind from behind her started to make it difficult for her to play her shots properlyZhang took advantage of this and started scoring more points after the breakShe won the second game and took the match into the third game.
Zhang started the third game well and played cross-court drop shots to take a big 19-10 leadTanvi tried hard to come back and scored five points in a row to make it 19-15.
However, Tanvi made a mistake while playing a cross-court smash, which gave Zhang five chances to win the matchTanvi saved all five chances and also got three chances to win the gold medalBut she could not win those points, and Zhang’s experience helped her win the match.
