Odisha’s long wait for its first Sub-Junior National medal in badminton is likely to end when the leading sports-promoting State plays hosts to the 33rd edition of the championships for U-15 and U-17 boys and girls in Bhubaneswar from December 17 to 22.
The Odisha State Badminton Association (OSBA), which is set to field a 22-member squad in the ensuing championship, pins hopes on its India No 1 shuttlers Ayush Pattnayak and Swetaparna Panda. Both have been given direct entry to the main draw in respective doubles and mixed double events.
Baripada boy Ayush is currently leading the Badminton Association India (BAI) Rankings in U-17 doubles with 542 points. He is also placed at No 6 in singles with 576 points. Earlier this year, Ayush finished U-17 boys doubles runners-up at the All India Sub-Junior Ranking Tournament in Imphal with Suhas V as his partner.
Cuttack girl Swetaparna is now heading the BAI Ranking in U-15 mixed doubles with 310 points. She is the younger sister of rising India star Rutuparna Panda and has the reputation of winning the U-15 mixed doubles title at the All India Sub-junior Ranking Tournament in Imphal with Sathwik Reddy of Telangana as her partner.
Besides Ayush and Swetaparna, the Odisha squad has other able players like Partha Sarathi Mishra, Ajay Majhi, Siddharth Rajesh Patil and Tahasif Khan in boys’ events and Harshita Rout and Sruti Swain in girls’ categories.
According to OSBA secretary Nileen Kumar, the ensuing championship will play a big role for the development and promotion of badminton in Odisha.