Dehradun, Feb 4 (PTI): Anmol Kharb of Haryana continued her stellar rise in the badminton world, claiming the gold in the women’s singles event at the 38th National Games on Tuesday. The 18-year-old shuttler, who had already made a name for herself with a gold at the Asia Team Championships, defeated top seed Anupama Upadhyaya in straight games. Kharb triumphed 21-16, 22-20 in a gripping final, showcasing exceptional skill and determination.
This victory adds another milestone to Kharb's promising career, which also includes a runner-up finish at the Guwahati Masters Super 100 last December and victories at the Belgian and Polish Internationals in 2023.
In the men’s singles, Tamil Nadu’s Satish Kumar Karunakaran secured the gold with a dominant 21-17, 21-17 win over Uttarakhand’s Suryaksh Rawat. Karunakaran’s victory on the final day of the badminton competition added another achievement to his remarkable performance at the Games. Earlier in the day, he also claimed the mixed doubles title alongside Aadya Variyath, after an intense 21-11, 20-22, 21-8 win over Maharashtra’s Deep Rambhiya and Akshaya Warang in the gold medal match.
The men's doubles event saw Nithin HV and Prakash Raj S of Karnataka take the gold, beating their state counterparts Vaibhav and Ashith Surya 21-16, 21-14 in a one-sided final. In the women’s doubles, Karnataka’s Shikha Gautam and Ashwini Bhat claimed the gold, defeating Uttarakhand’s Angel Punera and Anya Bisht 21-11, 21-13.
Meanwhile, star shuttler Lakshya Sen, a favorite among the home crowd and ranked 10th in the world, withdrew from the competition on Monday at the last minute, leaving fans disappointed.
With the National Games badminton competition concluding, these rising stars have proven their mettle, marking a significant chapter in India’s sporting landscape.
