PANAJI: Goan shuttlers excelled at the Mangala Cup All-India Invitational Badminton Tournament organised by Mangala Badminton Association, at Mangalore, informs a press release.
Goa’s upcoming sub-junior players Minoshka Pereira and Lakshita Sawal won a bronze medal in U-16 girls doubles while Amit Kakkar and Vishal Vernekar won bronze in veterans doubles in 35+ age category.
Goa’s rising player Ayaan Shaikh who won a double crown in the junior state ranking tournament held earlier this season, performed creditably reaching the quarter-finals in men’s singles as well as doubles; partnering former State champion Navneet Nasnodkar.
Meanwhile, Tanisha Crasto, Goa and India’s young badminton sensation, will be part of a strong India contingent, which will participate in the prestigious All England Badminton Open Championships, scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England, from 16 to 20 March 2022.
Tanisha, who won the gold medal recently at the Syed Modi International Open alongwith her partner Ishaan Bhatnagar in mixed-doubles, is the first Goan to qualify in the Main Draw of one of the most prominent badminton championships in world badminton circuit.
India is sending a strong 20 member contingent to England led by PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth in women’s singles and men’s singles respectively, and Chirag Shetty / Satwiksairaj Rankireddy in men’s doubles.
India squad: P V Sindhu and Saina Nehwal (Women’s Singles); Kidambi Srikanth, Lakshya Sen, H.S. Prannoy, Sameer Verma, B Sai Praneeth and Parupalli Kashyap (Men’s Singles); Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy (Women’s Doubles); Chirag Shetty / Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, M R Arjun / Dhruv Kapila and Krishna Prasad / Vishnuvardhan (Men’s Doubles); Tanisha Crasto / Ishaan Bhatnagar and Venkat G /J Dewangan (Mixed Doubles).
