Latest news with #LakshaySharma
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana shuttler bags bronze medal in Czech Republic
City shuttler Lakshay Sharma has once again made the city proud by clinching a bronze medal in the men's singles open category at the Czech International Series Badminton Tournament, held in the Czech Republic from June 19 to 22. Battling against 107 international players from 36 countries, the 19-year-old's performance stood out as he battled his way through some of the country's top badminton players. Lakshay Sharma (HT Photo) Notably, Lakshay showcased an impressive run in the tournament, defeating France's Adith Karthikeyan Priya in straight games (15-9, 15-8) in the pre-quarterfinal. In the quarterfinal, he overcame Denmark's Niklas Lynge Olesen in a thrilling three-game match (15-11, 13-15, 15-9). His journey ended in the semi-final after a hard-fought loss to Austrian shuttler Collins Valentine Filimon (15-17, 10-15), securing him the bronze medal. This marks Lakshay's third international medal. Notably, Filimon, who defeated him in the semis, is a Paris 2024 Olympian and a pre-quarterfinalist at the Hylo Super 300 Series in Germany. Filimon is ranked 151 in the world, while Lakshay holds a world ranking of 206. The tournament saw participation from 107 players representing 36 countries, including Malaysia, Singapore, Chinese Taipei, and Denmark. As many as six Indian shuttlers competed in the men's singles category. Earlier this year, in May, Lakshay bagged a silver medal in the men's singles open category at the prestigious All India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament held in Hyderabad. In 2023, he earned a bronze at the Polish International in Lublin and a silver at the Kazakhstan International Series, boosting his global ranking. A student of BA at Chandigarh University and an alumnus of Sacred Heart Convent School, Lakshay has consistently made a mark. He led the Indian junior team at the Asia Badminton Championship in Indonesia in 2023, won bronze at the All India Junior Ranking in Bengaluru in 2022, and clinched gold at the Khelo India Games. In 2021, he secured gold at the U-19 Junior International Series in Hungary. Lakshay trains under the guidance of his father and coach, Mangat Rai Sharma, a NIS-certified national-level coach. He credits his achievements to his father and coach, whose support continues to shape his rising career.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Ludhiana: City boy bags silver medal at national badminton tournament
A Nineteen-year-old Lakshay Sharma from Ludhiana has made the city proud by winning a silver medal in the men's singles open category at the All-India Senior Ranking Badminton Tournament held in Hyderabad from May 8-15. With over 768 players competing in the men's singles event, Lakshay's performance stood out as he battled his way through some of the country's top shuttlers. In the opening round, Lakshay defeated Akhil Rao of Telangana in straight games with scores of 21-15 and 21-19. He then faced a tough challenge from Aditya Joshi of Uttarakhand in the second round but emerged victorious in three games: 21-12, 19-21, 21-17. Continuing his fine form, he beat Maharashtra's Varun Kapoor 21-12, 21-19 in the next match. The quarterfinal saw Lakshay up against the third seed, Sanskar Saraswat of Rajasthan, whom he defeated convincingly 21-18, 21-15. In the semi-final, he pulled off another major win by beating the top seed, Saneet DS of Karnataka, with a scoreline of 21-19, 21-14. The final was a nail-biting clash against Delhi's Ginpal. Despite a valiant effort, Lakshay narrowly lost in three games,19-21, 21-17, 20-22, and settled for the silver medal. In September last year, he won a bronze medal at the Polish International Badminton Tournament in Lublin, Poland. Earlier in December 2023, he clinched a silver medal at the Kazakhstan International Series, which helped him improve his world ranking from 316 to 250. A bachelor of arts programming student at Chandigarh University, Lakshay completed his schooling from Sacred Heart Convent School, Sarabha Nagar. Apart from his recent national-level achievement, Lakshay has been consistently performing over the years. He led the Indian junior badminton team as captain at the Asia Badminton Championship in Indonesia in 2023 and secured a bronze medal at the All India Junior Ranking Championship in Bengaluru in 2022. Representing Chandigarh University, he also won a gold medal at the Khelo India Games and had earlier taken the top podium spot at the U-19 Junior International Series in Hungary in 2021. Lakshay credits his success to his father and coach, Mangat Rai Sharma, a national-level badminton coach with NIS certification.
