Lakshay eyes gold in badminton c’ship

Anil Datt
Ludhiana, November 25

City-based badminton prodigy, Lakshay Sharma (13) has been eyeing top honours in the Sub-Junior National Badminton Tournament scheduled to be held from November 27 to December 2 at Bengaluru in Karnataka.

Lakshay, Class VIII student of Sacred Heart Convent School, Sarabha Nagar, has been selected to represent the state in the U-15 group in the singles as well as doubles categories.

A trainee of his father, an NIS qualified coach, Mangat Rai Sharma, Lakshay has won accolades during various domestic and international badminton tournaments. Lakshay started the game at the age of six years and impressed everyone with his extraordinary performance.

Lakshay won sub-junior title in the state championship at the age of seven and clinched a silver medal in the U-17 section (singles) when he was 12 years old. He gave an improved performance this year when he wrapped up a gold medal.

Besides, Lakshay secured a gold medal in the U-13 section in the All India Sub-Junior Ranking Badminton Tournament held at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu in January 2017 and also annexed a gold medal in the doubles in the National Ranking Tournament held at Jaipur same year. He won a bronze medal in the doubles category, as well.

Lakshay finished at the victory podium during another national-level ranking competition where he secured a bronze medal in the doubles category (U-13) at Tenali in Andhra Pradesh in July.

He also carved a niche for himself in the international arena. Lakshay’s overseas achievements include a gold medal in U-11 singles group in the Swiss Youth Open Badminton Championship held at Switzerland in May 2015, in addition to a bronze medal in the doubles category.

Lakshay followed this achievement with another stupendous performance by winning three medals in the International Youth Badminton Tournament in 2017 at Glasgow in Scotland. He competed in the U-13 section and romped home victorious in the singles category besides securing second position in the doubles group and won a bronze medal in the mixed doubles section.