With an overall tally of three gold medals and three silver medals Indian shuttlers dominated the elite competition organized and conducted by Sri Lanka Badminton (SLB), the Li Ning Sri Lanka International Challenge concluded successfully at the Dadella International Indoor Courts in Galle, Sri Lanka on Sunday. They won the gold medals in the Men’s and Women’s Singles and Mixed Doubles and claimed the silver medals in Men’s and Women’s Singles and Women’s Doubles.
Indian Singles players Kartikey Gulshan Kumar and Isharani Baruah and the Mixed Doubles pair Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh won their finals in comfortable fashion, while unseeded Thai pair Pichamon Phatcharaphisutsin and Nannapas Sukklad created a major upset, as they annexed their respective titles in straight sets in the first of the two mega international competitions conducted by SLB and sanctioned by Badminton World Federation (BWF) and Badminton Asia (BA).
Gulshan Kumar enjoyed a cakewalk win against fellow Indian Satish Kumar, who was easily thwarted in straight sets by 2-0, with the set scores settling in at 21/18 and 21/17 in the Men’s Singles final. Gulshan, a shuttler globally ranked above his opponent Satish, displayed composure in the all-important game as the former held on to his nerves to frustrate his compatriot in the all-Indian final. Satish made a valiant effort to claim the second set and drag the final towards a three-setter, but the much-experienced Gulshan proved his might to walk away the Men’s Singles winner of the Li Ning Sri Lanka International Challenge 2024.
Isharani Baruah faced a surprising initial challenge, but the top seed Indian bounced back to beat fellow compatriot Rakshitha Santhosh Ramraj in the Women’s Singles final in straight sets. Rakshitha was in her full force during the first set, but Isharani made use of her experience to win it by 22/20 and continued her momentum to claim the second set by 21/14 to claim the title in style.
The Indian Mixed Doubles pair Ashith Surya and Amrutha Pramuthesh had very little trouble in confining the Thailand pair Phuwanat Horbanluekit and Chasinee Korepap, as the in-form duo went on to record a straight win in the final. Ashith and Amrutha were overwhelming against the Thai pair as they won the Mixed Doubles title with set scores of 21/15 and 21.13.
Meanwhile Thailand’s Pichamon Phatcharaphisutsin and Nannapas Sukklad created one of the major upsets in recent badminton history, as they shocked top seed Indians Rutaparna Panda and Swetaparna Panda to claim the Women’s Doubles title. The unseeded Thai pair, Pichamon and Sukklad, toppled the Panda sisters, ranked 53, to record a dominating straight win, as they made use of the Li Ning Sri Lanka International Challenge to create one of the major upsets of 2024.
The Thai pair gave very little room for the Indian bottom seeds, to claim both sets by 21/12 and 21/14. On Saturday, the Thai Women’s Doubles pair created the initial shocker when they thrashed top seeds Paula Lynn Hok and Lauren Lam of Malaysia, ranked 44, in the semi-finals.
In a high-octane Men’s Doubles final played between two unseeded pairs Rahmat Hidayat and Yacob Rambitan of Indonesia overcame Malaysia’s Bryan Jeremy Goonting and Fazriq Mohamed Razif 2-1 to claim the title. After conceding the first set 18/21, the Indonesian pair went on to trouble the Malaysian pair to claim the two following sets by 21/15 and 21/15 to emerge winners.
Over 200 players representing 14 countries engaged in the concluded Li Ning Sri Lanka International Challenge 2024, which will be followed by the Li Ning Sri Lanka International Badminton Series 2024 from February 13th to 18th at the same venue.
Dr. Shamal Fernando, the Director General of the Sports Development Department, Ministry of Sports, graced the awards ceremony as chief guest in addition to the presence of SLB President, Mr. Rohan de Silva and its top officials. The BWF sanctioned international competition, which had the sponsorship from LiNing, Mobil, GAC, 3M, and McFoil, in addition to the support and blessings from the Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Tourism.
Results of finals:
Men’s Singles: Kartikey Gulshan Kumar (Ind) beat Satish Kumar (Ind) 2-0 (21/18, 21/17)
(Semi-finals): Rithvik Satish Kumar (Ind) beat Kok Jing Hong (Mas) 2-0 (21-13, 22-20); Kartikey Gulshan Kumar (Ind) beat Siddharth Pratap Singhe (Ind) 2-1 (13-21, 21-16, 21-7)
Women’s Singles: Isharani Baruah (Ind) beat Rakshitha Santhosh Ramraj (Ind) 2-0 (22/20, 21/14)
(Semi-finals): Rakshitha Santhosh Ramraj (Ind/224) beat Thamonwan Nithiittikrai (Thai/305) 2-0 (21-18, 21-18); Isharani Baruah (Ind/135) beat Ruzana Ruzana (Indo/166) 2-0 (21-12. 21-18)
Men’s Doubles: Rahmat Hidayat/Yacob Rambitan (Indo) beat Bryan Jeremy Goonting/Fazriq Mohamed Razif (Mas) 2-1 (18/21, 21/15, 21/15)
(Semi-finals): Rahmat Hidayat/Yacob Rambitan (Indo) beat Kang Khai Xing/Aaron Tai (Mas) 2-1 (16-21. 21-15, 21-13); Bryan Jeremy Goonting/Fazriq Mohamed Razif (Mas) beat Chayanit Joshi/Mayank Rana (Ind) 2-1 (21-19, 16-21, 21-7)
Women’s Doubles: Pichamon Phatcharaphisutsin/ Nannapas Sukklad (Tha) beat Rutaparna Panda/Swetaparna Panda (Ind) 2-0 (21/12, 21/14)
(Semi-finals): Rutaparna Panda/Swetaparna Panda (Ind) beat Prinda Pattanawaritthipan/Atitya Povanon (Tha) 2-0 (21-19, 21-19); Pichamon Phatcharaphisutsin/ Nannapas Sukklad (Tha) beat Paula Lynn Hok/Lauren Lam (Mas) 2-0 (21-19, 21-17)
Mixed Doubles: Ashith Surya/Amrutha Pramuthesh (Ind) beat Phuwanat Horbanluekit/Chasinee Korepap (Tha) 2-0 (21/15, 21.13)
(Semi-finals): Ashith Surya/Amrutha Pramuthesh (Ind) beat Mayank Rana/Jiya Rawat (Ind) 2-0 (21-19, 21-19); Phuwanat Horbanluekit/Chasinee Korepap (Tha) beat Neuaduang Langkornloi/Atitaya Povanon (Tha) 2-1 (12-21, 21-12, 21-13)