Badminton Asia Team Championship 2024: Who is Anmol Kharb? All you need to know about the young Indian player
17-year-old Indian shuttler Anmol Kharb made headlines after her memorable display that helped India clinch an iconic 3-2 win over China at the Badminton Asia Team Championship 2024.
Kharb, taking the court in her maiden international outing against Chinese Wu Luo Yu in the Badminton Asia Championship on Wednesday, showcased her impressive skill set and ability to flourish under pressure.
The India-China tie was evenly poised at 2-2 before the youngster went to put up a brilliant show, scoring a sensational 22-20, 14-21, 21-18 win to help India script a spectacular 3-2 triumph over China in the women's team event. After PV Sindhu and Treesa-Gayatri pulled two games against a higher-ranked China, the onus was upon Kharb to deliver, which she did exceptionally well.
Who is Anmol Kharb, the 17-year-old sensation?
Anmol Kharb hails from Faridabad, Haryana, and considers Saina Nehwal her biggest inspiration. The incredibly talented youngster picked up badminton at the early age of just nine years and is now a national reigning champion.
The young shuttler earlier participated in the Krishna Khaitan juniors tournament in Panchkula, where she won the title.
Interestingly, her father Devender Singh, who now works as an advocate in Faridabad, is a former Kabaddi player. Kharb took up badminton looking at her elder brother playing the sport. She began playing at the Dayanand Public School in Faridabad.
The Haryana-based youngster then began training at the Sunrise Shuttlers Academy in Noida, shifting her training base. Her mother Rajbala Kharb would accompany her the entire day at the academy while she trained for long hours. She trains under her coach Kusumm Singh along with Indonesian coaches at the academy.
It was in 2019 that Anmol Kharb reached the U-13 quarters in the Sub-Junior Nationals at Bhagalpur, where she lost to Unnati Hooda. She later went on to reach the finals of the U-17 Sub-Junior Nationals at Bhubaneshwar. She also made an appearance in the final of the U-19 Junior Nationals at the same venue.
2019 was also the year when Kharb won her first-ever U-17 All India Ranking title at Hyderabad, followed by a semifinal finish in the Senior All India Ranking tournament held at Visakhapatnam.
Last season, Amnol Kharb reached the pre-quarters of the Asian Championships in Indonesia. She also secured the U-17 title at the Sub-Junior Nationals at Hyderabad.
The 17-year-old sensation, who is currently No.1 in the BAI (Badminton Association of India) Rankings, is focused on her U-19 career, with her eyes set on the senior level in the years to come.