Did Unseeded Vansh-Shravani & Aanya-Angela Secure Doubles Gold at the India Junior International Grand Prix?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Vansh Dev and Shravani Walekar secured gold in mixed doubles.
- Aanya Bisht and Angel Punera excelled in women's doubles.
- Kazuma Kawano achieved double victory in men's events.
- A total prize pool of USD 15,000 was awarded.
- India's young talents showcased their potential on an international platform.
Pune, Aug 31 (NationPress) It was a remarkable day for India at the Late Sushant Chipalkatti Yonex Sunrise India Junior International Grand Prix, hosted at the P. E. Society’s Modern PDMBA Sports Complex, as the talented young Indian shuttlers Vansh Dev and Shravani Walekar, along with Aanya Bisht and Angel Punera, clinched two prestigious titles in the doubles events.
Kazuma Kawano from Japan achieved a noteworthy double victory, winning both the U-19 men’s singles and doubles. This tournament was organized by the Poona District Metropolitan Badminton Association (PDMBA) under the guidance of BWF, BA, BAI, and MBA.
In an all-Indian mixed doubles final, the unseeded team of Vansh Dev and Shravani Walekar showcased an impressive performance, defeating second seeds C Lalramsanga and Taarini Suri in straight sets, 21-12, 21-13. The victory was secured in just 28 minutes, marking a significant achievement.
In the U-19 women’s doubles, another unseeded Indian pair, Aanya Bisht and Angel Punera, staged a comeback to defeat Japan’s fifth seeds Aoi Banno and Yuzu Ueno. After losing the first game 21-23, the duo rebounded with a commanding 21-12 win before enduring a tense final game, ultimately securing gold with a score of 21-17 in a thrilling 70-minute match.
A total prize pool of USD 15,000 (Rs 13,50,000) was allocated at the event.
In the all-Japanese final, ninth-seeded Kazuma Kawano triumphed over second-seeded Hyuga Takano with scores of 23-21, 18-21, 25-23 in a match lasting over an hour. Meanwhile, Yuzuno Watanabe edged past tenth-seeded Yurika Nagafuchi to claim the U-19 Women’s singles title.
In U-19 Men’s Doubles, Kazuma Kawano paired with Shuji Sawada to defeat fellow countrymen Shunsei Nemoto and Nagi Yoshitsugu 21-15, 21-18.
With these two victories, India shone brightly in the doubles category, wrapping up the tournament with a total of two gold medals, one silver, and four bronze medals.