Badminton Asia U-15, U-17 C'ships: India in line for two gold medals

Chengdu [China], October 25 (ANI): India was assured a gold medal in the girls U-17 category of the Badminton Asia U-17 & U-15 Championships after sixth seed Diksha Sudhakar and eighth seed Lakshya Rajesh registered straight games victories in their respective semifinals here on Saturday.With top seed Shaina Manimuthu also reaching the girls U-15 final, India will have a chance to bring home two gold medals. The Indian contingent was already assured of five medals ahead of Saturday’s semifinal matches, as per a press release from the Badminton Association of India (BFI). In the girls’ U-17 last four round, Diksha defeated Chinese Taipei’s Yun Chiao Su 21-8, 21-17 in 27 minutes before Lakshya joined her in the finals with a 21-15, 21-19 win over Japan’s Ria Haga.While the two girls eased through their semifinals, Shaina was made to work hard for almost an hour by China’s Yun Jie Yi before prevailing 21-12, 16-21, 21-16.She will now face Japan’s Chiharu Tomita in the girls’ U-15 final.However, India’s hopes of a final spot in the U-17 mixed doubles and U-17 boys doubles categories were dashed.In the mixed doubles semifinals, Jangjeet Singh Kajla and Jananika Ramesh went down 17-21, 21-18, 21-16 against I An Chang and Yo Han Wang of Chinese Taipei.Meanwhile, Jagsher Singh Khangurra lost his boys’ singles semifinal against China’s Hong Tian Yue 21-11, 21-16. (ANI)