Panchkula, Haryana: Following an intensive two-week preparatory training camp at the Tau Devilal Stadium in Panchkula, the 18-member Indian squad is set to depart for the Badminton Asia Junior Championships, scheduled to be held in Indonesia from July 7 to 16.
The training camp, aimed at strengthening the team’s preparations, was supported by Rural Electrification Corporation Limited (REC Limited), a Maharatna Company under the Ministry of Power, in collaboration with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Badminton Association of India (BAI), as part of their commitment to enhancing the development program of Indian badminton.
The partnership between BAI and REC facilitated a comprehensive two-week training camp, encompassing extensive on-court and fitness training sessions to ensure the team’s readiness for the upcoming championships.
Expressing his satisfaction with the camp, Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary of the Badminton Association of India, said, “We at BAI are extremely delighted to welcome REC Limited and Vivek Dewangan to the Badminton family. This two-week training camp has helped create a solid foundation for the tournament. I am confident that this camp has also fostered team bonding and camaraderie. We have a formidable squad with the ability to challenge the best. I wish each player, as well as the coaching staff, all the best for the Championships.”
Expressing his satisfaction with the camp, Sanjay Mishra, General Secretary of the Badminton Association of India, said, “We at BAI are extremely delighted to welcome REC Limited and Vivek Dewangan to the Badminton family. This two-week training camp has helped create a solid foundation for the tournament. I am confident that this camp has also fostered team bonding and camaraderie. We have a formidable squad with the ability to challenge the best. I wish each player, as well as the coaching staff, all the best for the Championships.”
REC Limited, known for its commitment to supporting excellence in various capacities, aims to bolster development and training programmes in collaboration with BAI. This partnership aims to drive grassroots initiatives and establish the necessary support systems for badminton in India.
Vivek Kumar Dewangan, Chief Managing Director of REC Limited, expressed the vision behind the partnership, stating, “Our target is to groom and nurture our young players right from the sub-junior level. We aim to identify talent and provide them with world-class training facilities and an environment that enables them to bring home medals under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Our goal is to ensure that these junior players continue to bring medals for the country at the senior level as well.”
Vivek Dewangan, an avid badminton player himself, has represented Madhya Pradesh at the national level in the under-15 category.
In the group stage of the Badminton Asia Junior Championships, India has been placed in Group C alongside Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Hong Kong. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage. In previous editions of the tournament, India has achieved remarkable success, winning two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze.
Notably, PV Sindhu secured the first gold medal for India in the championships in 2012, followed by Lakshya Sen’s triumph in 2018. The Badminton Asia Junior Championships serve as a significant stepping stone for aspiring shuttlers, providing them with valuable experience and opportunities to grow in the sport.
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