Goa’s promising shuttler Aarush Pawaskar capped a remarkable debut at the Victor Bulgarian Junior Open International Badminton Tournament 2026 in Pazardzhik, Bulgaria with a well-earned bronze medal in the Boys U19 Singles event, marking an impressive beginning to his journey in the Junior (U19) international circuit.
Competing in his first-ever tournament in this age category, Aarush displayed exceptional composure and skill, winning four of his five matches en route to the semi-finals. His impressive run came to an end in the last four, where he went down fighting 11-21, 19-21 to Chinese Taipei’s Ming Chuan Li, settling for a podium finish after an outstanding campaign that included a notable upset over World No. 21 and second seed Teodor Mitev of Bulgaria in a thrilling three-game encounter (21-12, 20-22, 21-16).
This achievement adds to Aarush’s growing list of international credentials, following his silver medal finish at the prestigious France Open U17 Badminton Tournament held in Aire-sur-la-Lys, France, in February 2025. Aarush is currently training under the guidance of coach Uttsav Mishra at Lakshyan Sports Academy, with strong support from sponsors Goa Carbon Limited and Solas Marine.
“Aarush’s performance in Bulgaria is a matter of immense pride for Goa and reflects his tremendous potential at the international level. We are confident he will bring many more laurels to Goa and India,” said Manoj Patil, President of Goa Badminton Association.
