Team Herald
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PANJIM: Advait Balakrishnan, Ritika Chelluri and Sparsh Kolwalkar were the standout performers winning double crowns each, while Aarush Pawaskar, Anaya Kamat and Mohammed Umar Shaikh clinched prestigious singles titles in the State Badminton Ranking Tournament 2025 concluded at the Indoor Stadium, Campal, here, recently.
The tournament held under the aegis of Goa Badminton Association was organised by Panjim Badminton Club and Panaji Krida Sankul in collaboration with the North Goa District Badminton Association and the Sports Authority of Goa, which witnessed high-quality competition in sub junior (U-15 and U-17) group.
In the singles events, Umar showed exceptional fighting qualities in the boys U-15 final, recovering after losing the opening game to defeat Sparsh 14-21, 21-13, 21-15. In girls U-15, Anaya stamped her authority with a confident 21-16, 21-17 victory over third seed Pragya Audi. Top seed Aarush impressed in the boys U-17 final with a commanding 21-15, 21-10 win over Devansh Sakpal, while Ritika displayed grit in the girls U-17 summit clash, edging out Sufiya Shaikh 21-19, 9-21, 21-15.
The doubles events produced plenty of drama and edge-of-the seat excitement. In boys U-15 doubles, Arnav Saraf and Sparsh cruised past Atharv Sadaye and Shaan C K 21-12, 21-13, while in the girls U-15, Avni Khyalia and Palak Ramnathkar overcame Aaryaa Metry and Anaya Kamat 21-19, 21-15.
Sparsh then partnered Aaryaa Metry in the U-15 mixed doubles to clinch his second crown, battling past Arnav Saraf and Niharika Parwar 9-21, 24-22, 21-17 in a thriller.
Advait, too, shone in the U-17 category, winning the boys doubles with Vansh Khedkar against Aarush and Owais Tahasildar 16-21, 21-10, 21-13, and later combining with Ritika in the mixed doubles to topple Vansh and Sufiya 19-21, 21-10, 21-19.
In girls U-17 doubles, Shivanjali Thite and Sufiya battled past Dimple Revankar and Ritika 20-22, 21-16, 21-19, rounding off a thrilling tournament.
