Thinley Namgay  

Bhutan Badminton Federation’s  (BBF) under (U)-15 and U-17 badminton teams clinched a bronze medal each in mixed team categories at the ongoing Badminton South Asia Regional Junior Championship 2023 in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The mixed team competitions ended yesterday.  Sri Lanka was declared the winner of both U-17 and U-15 mixed team competitions.

Both U-15 and U-17 teams lost in the semifinals. Pema Tenzin, Yangchen Dolkar, Sonam Phuntsho Tsheten, and Yeshey Leksel Dorji lost against Sri Lanka  3-0 in U-15 team, and U-17 contestants Ngawang Rigsel Jurmey, Kritty Gurung, and  Avik Balampaki lost to Bangladesh 3-0.

Bhutan automatically entered the semifinal after Pakistan withdrew.  Around 60 players from Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are participating.

The individual games are ongoing. As of yesterday, Yeshey Leksel Dorji of Bhutan won against Adil Mohamed Kiyaan of the Maldives 23-21 and 21-19 in the women’s individual category. The other three players lost against Nepal and  Bangladesh in the same category.   

BBF officials said the players tried their best in the mixed team and expect a better result in the individual category.   

Bhutan is represented by eight players, four boys and four girls. Before the championship, the selected players underwent intensive training in Thimphu.  Players also trained in South Asia Regional Training Camp in Nepal from August 14 to 17.

Participants were selected from the Open National Junior Badminton Championship 2023 held in Thimphu last month. To book a seat for the Nepal championship,  over  70 students from various districts took part in the U-17 and U-15 categories during the national championship.

South Asia Regional Junior Championship provides budding badminton players a platform to showcase their talents besides gaining exposure, skills and confidence by interacting with players from different countries.

The tournament which began on August 18 will end tomorrow.