Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships 2024: Aadya Budhia and Shiven Agarwal bag title wins on the final day
Young Indian squash players Aadiya Budhia and Shiven Agarwal secured title wins in the girls' U13 and boys’ U15, respectively, in the 31st Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships in Islamabad on Saturday, June 29.
Budhia secured India's first gold medal in the girls' U13 category of the competition, defeating fellow Indian compatriot Goushika M 11-5, 11-5, 11-4 to secure the title.
On the other hand, in the boys’ U15 final, second-seeded Shiven Agarwal stunned Malaysia’s Muhammad Raziq Putra Mohd Fakhrur Razi to bag India’s second title of the day. Shiven won 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 13-11.
For the first time in 12 years, India bagged two gold medals in the Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships.
Aadya started her campaign with a win over Sadia Zahoor Khan of Pakistan in the Round of 16 by 11-2, 11-6, 11-1. Later in the quarter-final, she stunned Pakistan's Mahnoon Ali by 11-4, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 to move to the semi-final.
In the semi-final, she stunned Chiu Hau Ching from Hong Kong by 11-4, 11-7, 4-11, 12-10 to make it to the grand finale. On the other hand, in the consolation final, Shameena Riaz defeated Nargol Ramezanzadeh Namini by 11-8, 11-6, 11-6.
Meanwhile, Shiven Agarwal bagged a win over Rayyan Bahadur, the local lad, in the Round of 16 by 11-9, 11-1, 11-5 to advance to the quarter-final. Later, he defeated another local lad Abdul Ahad Butt by 11-4, 11-7, 11-5 to storm into the semi-final.
In the semi-final, he defeated Nouman Khan 5-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-0 to make his grand entry to the final. He avenged his loss to Malaysia’s Muhammad Raziq in the semi-final in 2022 in Saturday’s boys’ U15 grand finale to bag India’s second gold medal in the Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships 2024.
Asian Junior Individual Squash Championships 2024: Day 5 Results (Indians only)
Final: Aadya Budhia beat Goushika M 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-4)
Final: Shiven Agarwal beat Muhammad Raziq Putra 3-1 (11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 13-11)
Consolation Final: Shameena Riaz beat Nargol Ramezanzadeh Namini 3-0 (11-8, 11-6, 11-6)