Tashkent [Uzbekistan], July 1 : India's Divyanshi Bhowmick scripted history at the 29th Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships in Uzbekistan, becoming the first Indian in 36 years to win the U-15 Girls' Singles title on Tuesday.
The 14-year-old defeated China's Zhu Qihi 4-2 in a high-pressure final, capping a sensational run that included victories over three Chinese players--an unprecedented feat in Indian youth table tennis, as per a press release.
The second-seeded Divyanshi also sealed her berth for the World Youth Championships with this title. Her standout moment came in the semifinals, where she edged past China's Liu Ziling in a thrilling seven-game battle to keep India's gold medal hopes alive.
A product of India's growing pipeline of table tennis talent, Divyanshi is part of the Dani Sports Foundation's development program, which works alongside Ultimate Table Tennis to identify and nurture young prospects.
The youngster was a part of the first edition of the Dream UTT Juniors, which ran alongside Ultimate Table Tennis Season 6 in Ahmedabad, featuring some of the country's best young talents. Meanwhile, she was also named the Best Women's Player (Overall) at the Table Tennis Super League (TTSL) Maharashtra in April this year.
India wrapped up its campaign in Tashkent with one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals, with Divyanshi's triumph standing out as a defining moment for the country's resurgence in youth table tennis.