Chinese player Yixin Zhang won the women’s singles badminton gold medal at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games, defeating India’s Tanvi Patil in the final.
Zhang claimed the gold medal in a closely contested three-game final against Patil. The scoreline of 2-1 reflects the competitive nature of the match, though specific game scores were not provided in the initial reports.
The final was part of the badminton competition held at the Dakar Arena, a venue that saw local spectators cheering for the athletes. Spectators were captured on camera enthusiastically supporting Zhang during her matches.
Following the final, Zhang was joined on the podium by Patil, who took the silver medal, and Japan’s Yuno Watanabe, who secured the bronze. The trio was photographed together during the official medal ceremony, with Zhang and her fellow medalists taking a selfie to mark the occasion.
Images from the event, captured by Xie Jianfei and Sun Fei of Xinhua News Agency, show Zhang holding her gold medal and posing for pictures with Patil and Watanabe.
The 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games badminton tournament featured young athletes from around the world competing for medals in singles and doubles events. The women’s singles final was one of the highlights of the badminton competition.
During her matches, Zhang was seen receiving coaching from her staff between games and celebrating points with visible emotion. Patil, meanwhile, was shown reacting to points lost during the intense final rally.
The final was part of the badminton competition held at the Dakar Arena, a venue that saw local spectators cheering for the athletes.
— Qinghai Television
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