‘Sport gives us a moment that stays with us’ – Abhinav Bindra heaps praise on young Tanvi Patri’s Youth Olympics silver
Tanvi Patri might have missed on a historic gold medal at the 2026 Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, but her silver medal was enough to earn the attention of sporting icons like Abhinav Bindra and PV Sindhu. The 15-year-old from Odisha became the first Indian women’s singles badminton player to clinch a Youth Olympics silver medal.
She went down against reigning world junior champion Zhang Yi Xin in a nail-biting summit clash. Tanvi saved six match points and missed three of her own to go down 15-21, 21-13, 26-24 in an hour and 22 minutes in a gold medal clash that kept everyone watching live action on the edge of their seats, according to a press release.
Before Tanvi, HS Prannoy (2010) and Lakshya Sen (2018) had won individual silver medals in the Youth Olympic Games. Taking to X, Bindra, India’s first-ever individual Olympic gold medallist, praised Tanvi for her fighting spirit. According to the 44-year-old, Tanvi’s feat has left a lasting impression on every one associated with sports.
“Every once in a while, sport gives us a moment that stays with us, regardless of the result. Watching 15-year-old Tanvi Patri in Dakar was one of those moments for me. Even when the match seemed to be slipping away, she simply refused to give up. She fought for every point, with a determination that was quite extraordinary to watch,” Bindra wrote.
“She may have lost the match, but I think she taught all of us something about perseverance, courage and what it really means to keep going when things aren’t going your way. I found her performance deeply inspiring. At just 15, she reminded us that sometimes the greatest lessons in sport don’t come from winning,” added Bindra.
“Tanvi, I hope you realise how many people you inspired that day. There will be many more matches, victories and disappointments along the way. But if you carry this same spirit with you, you have a wonderful journey ahead. You made India very proud. And you certainly earned a lifelong admirer in me,” Bindra said.
PV Sindhu echoes same as Abhinav Bindra
Backing Tanvi’s talent, two-time Olympic medal winner PV Sindhu echoed the same as Bindra and couldn’t stop praising the youngster. “Couldn’t agree more with you, Abhinav! Tanvi is an incredible talent. Her maturity, composure and understanding of the game at such a young age are remarkable. Still a long road ahead, but she has all the ingredients to become something truly special!” Sindhu wrote.
Tanvi Patri eyes LA 2028 qualification
Meanwhile, Tanvi said she was proud to represent India and win a medal for the country, adding that qualifying for the 2028 Olympic Games is her next major goal. Tanvi She also described her experience at the Olympic Village as a positive one. “I feel good and proud to be able to represent my country and bring a medal for my country. My future goal is I would like to qualify for the 2028 main Olympics if I can. I feel really good, and the Olympic Village was also so good,” she said.
