VIJAYAWADA/BHOPAL – It was a historic Sunday for Indian sports as new national champions emerged in two of the country’s most successful disciplines. In Vijayawada, the 87th Senior National Badminton Championships concluded with a dream victory for a local favorite, while in Bhopal, the 68th National Shooting Championship saw a young Olympian reaffirm her dominance on the range.
Badminton: Surya Charishma’s Dream Run in Vijayawada
The Multi-Purpose Indoor Stadium in Vijayawada was electrified as 19-year-old Surya Charishma Tamiri completed an extraordinary week by clinching the women’s singles title. Facing the 14-year-old prodigy Tanvi Patri, who was bidding to become the youngest-ever senior national champion, Charishma staged a gritty comeback to win 17-21, 21-12, 21-14.
The match turned on a crucial moment in the second game at 6-5, when a height fault called on Tanvi’s serve gave Charishma a reprieve. The local favorite never looked back, reeling off seven straight points to force a decider where her superior stamina eventually wore down the younger Patri.
In the men’s singles, Rithvik Sanjeevi S showcased remarkable defensive resilience to overcome Bharat Raghav 21-16, 22-20. Despite a late surge from Raghav in the second game, Rithvik held his nerve to secure his maiden senior national crown.
Badminton Results at a Glance:
- Women’s Singles: Surya Charishma Tamiri def. Tanvi Patri (17-21, 21-12, 21-14)
- Men’s Singles: Rithvik Sanjeevi S def. Bharat Raghav (21-16, 22-20)
- Women’s Doubles: Shikha Gautam & Ashwini Bhat K
- Men’s Doubles: Hariharan Amsakarunan & R Ruban Kumar
Shooting: Tilottama Sen Reigns in Bhopal
Over at the MP State Shooting Academy in Bhopal, the spotlight belonged to 17-year-old Tilottama Sen. The Karnataka shooter, who famously secured an Olympic quota for India at a tender age, was crowned the National Champion in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event.
Sen was in a league of her own, topping the qualification with a score of 591 before dominating the final with a composed 466.9. She fended off a strong challenge from Kerala’s Vidarsa K. Vinod (462.9), while veteran Ayonika Paul secured the bronze medal.
“To win the national title in the 3-positions event is special because it requires so much mental and physical endurance across three different stances,” Tilottama remarked after her victory.
Earlier in the championships, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar set the range ablaze by winning the men’s 50m Rifle 3P gold with a world-record-shattering score of 470.5, further cementing Bhopal as a lucky hunting ground for India’s elite rifle shooters.
Summary of Major Winners
Event Champion Runner-up Badminton (W) Surya Charishma Tamiri Tanvi Patri Badminton (M) Rithvik Sanjeevi S Bharat Raghav Shooting (50m R3P W) Tilottama Sen Vidarsa K. Vinod Shooting (50m R3P M) Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar Niraj Kumar