Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the top men's doubles pair from India, created history by winning the gold medal at the Asian Badminton Championship held in Dubai on April 30, 2023. The Indian duo faced tough competition in the final against their Malaysian opponents, Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi, but pulled off a thrilling victory with a score of 16-21, 21-17, 21-19.
IT’S A GOLD 🥹
— BAI Media (@BAI_Media) April 30, 2023
The wait of 58 years finally comes to an end as our very own Sat-Chi clinch the historic 🥇 medal. 2️⃣nd for 🇮🇳 after 1965, 1️⃣st in MD category 🥳🥳
📸: @badmintonphoto @himantabiswa | @sanjay091968 | @lakhaniarun1 #BAC2023#IndiaontheRise#Badminton pic.twitter.com/3NQbqwy7al
The match began with both pairs fiercely competing against each other from the outset. The Malaysians quickly took control and established a commanding lead of 18-13. However, in the second game, Satwik and Chirag managed to recover and went on to earn three game points, converting the first chance with Teo committing an error at the net. In the final game, Ong and Teo showed great technical acumen and managed a three-point lead. After that India took a 19-17 lead. A booming smash from the back by Chirag secured three championship points, and Chirag and Satwik won the gold medal.
This victory marks a historic moment for Indian badminton. Their achievement is bound to inspire young players to take up the sport. Satwik and Chirag had previously secured a medal in the men's doubles category after 52 years when they beat Indonesia's experienced duo, Mohammad Ahsan, and Hendra Setiawan, in the quarterfinals.
Proud of @satwiksairaj and @Shettychirag04 for scripting history by becoming the first Indian Men's Doubles pair to win the Badminton Asia Championships Title. Congratulations to them and wishing them the very best for their future endeavours. pic.twitter.com/i0mES2FuIL
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 30, 2023
The Indian badminton fraternity has hailed this win as a great achievement. Speaking on their victory, Satwik and Chirag said, “We are thrilled to have won this championship. We have worked hard for this moment, and we are happy that our hard work has paid off. We would like to thank our coaches, our families, and everyone who has supported us throughout our journey.”
India now has two gold medals in the Badminton Asia Championships, with the first gold being won by Dinesh Khanna in men’s singles in 1965. Satwik and Chirag are the first Indian duo since Dinesh Khanna in singles in 1965, to enter the final of the continental badminton event. This gold medal is the biggest achievement of their career after their having won two bronze medals in the Asian Team Championship.
