Now Reading: India-born Ishika Jaiswal pushes Okuhara at World Championships
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India-born Ishika Jaiswal pushes Okuhara at World Championships
India-born Ishika Jaiswal, who represents the United States, gave former world champion Nozomi Okuhara a tough fight before losing 21-11, 13-21, 21-12 in the women's singles pre-quarterfinal at the BWF World Championships in New Delhi on Thursday. The 23-year-old, ranked 61st in the world, showed grit and deceptive craft to bounce back after losing the first game, earning praise from Okuhara who called her a "fighter."
Ishika moved to the US as a child due to her father's job and trains at Velocity Badminton Club in Texas, an academy her father started. She has no sponsors and often travels alone, relying on available coaches. She draws inspiration from Ratchanok Intanon and Saina Nehwal. Her goal is to qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics and establish herself in the top bracket of women's singles.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Ishika's journey underscores a growing diaspora story: Indian-origin athletes flourishing abroad despite limited infrastructure. The US badminton system lacks the depth of Asian powerhouses, forcing players like Ishika to self-fund and seek sparring partners in India. Her father's decision to build a club in Texas reflects a grassroots response to this gap, creating local training hubs. With the LA 2028 Olympics as her target, Ishika has four years to climb from world No. 61 into the top 16, a leap that typically requires consistent exposure to top-tier competition and sponsorship support. Her performance against Okuhara suggests the raw potential is there, the next step is institutional backing.
Source: hindustantimes.com
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