Shuttler Devika wins bronze in World University Games

In a proud moment, shuttler Devika Sihag, who is pursuing BBA from Chitkara University, bagged a bronze medal in the mixed team event during the ongoing World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany. The Indian team won their first-ever mixed team bronze medal and Devika, who is ranked world No. 101, played an important role.

In their semifinal, the Indian team faced a 1-3 defeat against Chinese Taipei. Devika won the only match by defeating Huang Ching Ping 15-10 15-10, while Sathish Kumar went down fighting 13-15, 15-13, 10-15, and the pair of Saneeth Dayanand and Kumar faced 8-15, 13-15 defeat against Chen Zhi Ray and Lin Yu Chieh. In the last doubles event, the pair of Hsu Yin-Hui and Yang Chu Yun posted a 51-3, 15-8 win.

Devika will play her singles’ match to qualify for the pre-quarterfinals against C Obasanmi of Nigeria on July 23. The FISU World University Games is the world’s most prestigious international sporting event for university athletes — often hailed as the Olympics of university sports. Earlier, in the clash against Malaysia, Devika showcased nerves of steel and delivered a stunning performance by logging a 15-8, 8-15, 15-12 win.