Indian Junior Pickleball players shine at Asian Junior Championship, secure three medals
Nakhon Pathom, August 8
Indian junior pickleball players delivered a strong performance at the Asia Pickleball Junior Open/Asian Junior Championship 2026, securing three medals at the continental championship held at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
Organised by the Asia Federation of Pickleball (AFP), the three-day championship brought together some of Asia's leading emerging junior pickleball talent across multiple age categories.
The tournament provided young athletes with a high-performance international platform to compete against strong opposition, gain valuable international exposure and represent their countries on the continental stage, according to a press release.
India's medal-winning campaign was led by Stuti and Anjali, who clinched the gold medal in the U18 Girls' Doubles after an impressive campaign.
Anjali Pol added another medal to India's tally by securing the silver medal in the U18 Girls' Singles, while Aadya and Keerthi secured the bronze medal in the U12 Girls' Doubles.
Commenting on the performance, Arvind Prabhoo said, "This is a very encouraging performance from our young Indian players at the Asian Junior Championship. Winning a gold, silver and bronze across different age categories reflects the growing depth and potential of junior pickleball in India. International exposure at this stage is extremely important for the development of these athletes, and performances like these give us great confidence in the future of Indian pickleball."
The Asia Pickleball Junior Open / Asian Junior Championship 2026 served as an important platform for the development of junior pickleball in Asia, featuring boys' and girls' competitions across multiple age categories. The championship focused on athlete development, international competition and creating long-term pathways for emerging players.
India's three-medal haul, comprising one gold, one silver and one bronze, reflects the growing strength of the country's junior pickleball talent and provides positive momentum for the young athletes as they continue to gain experience on the international stage.
— ANI
Reader Comments
So proud of these young athletes! The U12 girls winning bronze at such a young age shows the depth of talent we have. My daughter just started playing pickleball at school and this will motivate her so much. Big congratulations to Anjali Pol for the silver in singles too - double medal haul for her! 🎉
Good performance, but I have to ask - why is the coverage so limited? These girls win international medals and it barely gets any media attention in India. Meanwhile, cricket gets 24/7 coverage. We need to support all sports equally, not just the ones with big sponsorships. Regardless, congratulations to the team! 👏
This is amazing! Pickleball is such a fun sport - I play it with my friends at the local club every weekend. Seeing these young players represent India on the international stage is so motivating. The future of Indian pickleball looks very bright. Special shoutout to Stuti and Anjali for the gold! 🌟
Great to see India performing so well in pickleball! The sport is exploding globally, and these young athletes are getting valuable international experience early. The U12 bronze is especially impressive - building strong foundations for the future. Congratulations to all the medal winners!
Honestly, I don't even understand why pickleball gets so much hype. It's like a simplified version of tennis, more of a recreational activity in my opinion. But the girls did well and I'm happy for them. If this motivates more youth to be active, then it's
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