Mady Sow earned a silver medal in men’s singles badminton at the Youth Olympic Games, marking the best finish ever for the French national program. Sow advanced through a tough tournament bracket before finishing second behind Riyan Malhan of the United Arab Emirates.
Sow’s Path to the Final
Sow dominated the group stage without dropping a set, securing three consecutive victories. He defeated Australia’s Tony Yu (21-5, 21-6), Serbia’s Aleksa Radovanovic (21-9, 21-7), and Bulgaria’s Teodor Mitev (21-16, 21-9) to advance to the knockout rounds. In the quarterfinals, he maintained his momentum by defeating Rithik Krishna Rasamsetti of the United States, 21-18, 21-12.
The semifinal match against South Korean player Park Jung Bin proved to be another successful outing for the French athlete. Despite the high level of competition from his opponent, Sow secured his spot in the gold medal match, fueled by vocal support from local fans.
The Gold Medal Match
The final against Riyan Malhan was a tightly contested affair. Malhan established an early lead, taking the first set 21-17. The second set remained competitive, with only one or two points separating the players throughout the duration of the game. Despite consistent encouragement from the crowd, Sow was unable to force a decider, falling 21-18 in the second set to finalize his tournament run as the silver medalist.
Neela Lenguete’s Tournament Performance
Neela Lenguete also represented France in the women’s singles competition. She began her tournament with a decisive victory over Maryame Cisse, winning 21-4, 21-6. She followed this with a 21-12, 21-18 win against Samiya Karim in a more closely fought match.
Lenguete’s campaign concluded in her final group stage match against Cheng Chih-Yun from Taipei. Despite a competitive effort, she fell 21-16, 21-11. She finished the tournament with two wins, providing the young athlete with experience at the international youth level.
