Shuttlers on Song

By Susil Premalal 

Sri Lanka achieved its highest medals haul at a Badminton World Federation (BWF) sanctioned event, with a tally of 46 at the Sri Lanka Junior International Series 2025, which concluded at the New Saniro Sports Complex in Naiwala, Gampaha on Friday.

Sri Lanka completed the first international mega event to be held on home soil with seven gold medals, while also securing 13 silver medals and a whopping 26 bronze medals. 

The young badminton players, also called shuttlers, representing the host nation secured berths in 13 finals from a total of 20, with seven of them being all-Sri Lankan finals. Local players also made it to a further six finals and Sri Lanka secured six silver medals out of the total of 13. Sri Lanka mostly dominated the Under-17, Under-15 and Under-13 categories, while reaching two finals in the main category.  

India emerged as the second best in the medals tally with a total of 17 that included five gold medals. They dominated the Under-19 group securing four gold medals.

Malaysia impressed with a tally of nine medals, winning four gold followed by Indonesia with seven medals, including three gold.

Results of finals:

U-19 Men’s Singles: Dhyan Santosh (Ind) beat Mithes Rameshwaran (Ind) 2-0 (21/17, 21/16)
U-19 Women’s Singles: Aadhira Rajkumar (Ind) beat Lakshya Rajesh (Ind) 2-0 (24/22, 23/21)
U-19 Men’s Doubles: Kanapot Teevakul/Pasuth Vongvaikitpaisarn (Thai) beat Sanuda Ariyasinghe/Thisath Rupathunga (SL) 2-0 (21/18, 21/14)
U-19 Women’s Doubles: Durga Esha Kandrapu/Ishita Negi (Ind) beat Dilini Ambalangodage/Ranumi Manage (SL) 2-0 (21/5, 21/18)
U-19 Mixed Doubles: Niranjan Nandakumar/Anjana Manikandan (Ind) beat Ananya Arun/Jagjeet Singh Kajla (Ind) 2-0 (21/12, 21/.12)
U-17 Boys’ Singles: Farel Fadhilah Ukasyah (Indo) beat Alif Akbar (Indo) 2-1 (21/17, 17/21, 21/19)
U-17 Girls’ Singles: Ayu Pratiwi (Indo) beat Vishwanie Wanniarachchi (SL) 2-0 (21/13, 21/16)
U-17 Boys’ Doubles: Tze Hao Chin/Yusuf Muhammad Iqbal (MAS) beat Keneth Aruggoda/Dinew Wimalaratne (SL) 2-0 (21/14, 21/13)
U-17 Girls’ Doubles: Navina Nagarajan/Vashmika Gopinath (MAS) beat Dulanya Karunaratna/Nethmi Ratnayake (SL) 2-0 (21/16, 21/16)
U-17 Mixed Doubles: Keneth Aruggoda/Isuri Attanayake (SL) beat Bihandu Ganege/Sithumi de Silva (SL) 2-1 (22/20, 18/21, 21/17)
U-15 Boys’ Singles: Hanafi Muhammad Noor (MAS) beat Yeo Julius (MAS) 2-0 (21/14, 21/18)
U-15 Girls’ Singles: Hamsini Chandram (Ind) beat Vashmika Gopinath (MAS) 2-0 (21/17, 21/14)
U-15 Boys’ Doubles: Yeo Julius/Hanafi Muhammad Noor (MAS) beat Zhen Hao Yeoh/Zhen Hong Yeoh (MAS) 2-0 (21/18, 21/16)
U-15 Girls’ Doubles: Bernessa Nadea Dharmawan/Hanifa Azzahrawani Nuradi (Ind) beat Manuli Waravitage/Nithini Guruge (SL) 2-0 (21/8, 21/5) 
U-15 Mixed Doubles: Sanuja Bandara/Nithini Guruge (SL) beat Yasiru Jayawardana/Nisheli Samararatne (SL) 2-0 (21/14, 21/19)
U-13 Boys’ Singles: Hansaka Rashminda (SL) beat Navithu Kumarapperuma (SL) 2-1 (17/21, 21/13, 21/11)
U-13 Girls’ Singles: Rashmi Herath (SL) beat Ishma Ishak (SL) 2-0 (21/14, 21/5)
U-13 Boys’ Doubles: Navithu Kumarapperuma/Hansaka Rashminda (SL) beat Sanuja Mulkirigala/Vidas Samarakoon (SL) 2-0 (21/14, 21/8)
U-13 Girls’ Doubles: Risindi Akithya/Ishma Ishak (SL) beat Vathsadi Kulasuriya/Rivini Methsuvi (SL) 2-0 (21/19, 21/19)
U-13 Mixed Doubles: Hansaka Rashminda/Rashmi Herath (SL) beat Inuka Rivinindu/Reshini Eliyana (SL) 2-0 (21/7, 21/12)