Cairo (Egypt): India’s Jagsher Singh Khangurra claimed a bronze medal at the Badminton World Junior Championships in Cairo after a fighting 6-15, 15-13, 3-15 defeat to Indonesia’s Radithya Bayu Wardhana in the semi-finals.

The 17-year-old from Nabha, near Patiala, struggled early against Wardhana’s aggressive attacking game and conceded the opening game 6-15. He responded strongly in the second, using patient defence and precise placement to force a decider, but ran out of energy in the third.

“He had good stamina and really good strokes. In the third set, I was out of stamina after eight points,” Jagsher said. “He was pushing me to the back. I was not able to attack too much.”

Jagsher admitted that a poor start cost him dearly. “I could’ve started better. My shuttles were going out and into the net. I’m satisfied with my performance till the quarters, but I could’ve done better today (October 16),” he said, adding that stamina and attacking play were areas for improvement in his first World Junior Championships.

Coaches describe Jagsher as a composed, systematic player with excellent net play and defensive resilience, though his attacking game is still developing. He was identified by Olympic Gold Quest scouts and trains at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru under Sagar Chopda.

His early development was shaped by long daily journeys from Nabha to Patiala for training, with his father, a mathematics teacher, driving him twice a day.

With two more years left in the junior category, Jagsher will hope to convert this bronze into a brighter medal at future championships.