Chandrika wins silver, bronze at World Senior Badminton Championships

Chandrika de Silva 

Veteran Sri Lankan badminton star, Chandrika de Silva added one more medal to her impressive career when she bagged two medals at the World Senior Badminton Championships in Poland last Sunday.

The 11-time national champion won the silver medal in the women’s singles before securing the women’s doubles bronze medal at the Championships.

Chandrika who participated in the over 40 age category was the only medal winner for Sri Lanka in the event which saw shuttlers from 29 countries in action.

In the singles final, she lost to former Germany’s Claudia Vogelgsang.

Incidentally, Vogelgsang beat Chandrika in a previous edition of the same tournament, held in Kochi, India, two years ago, where the Sri Lankan won the silver medal in women’s singles. 

In the women’s doubles in Poland this time, the same duo teamed up and went on to win the bronze medal.

Thanks to Chandrika’s two medals, Sri Lanka finished in 23rd place in the medals tally. 

Germany clinched the overall championship while England and Japan finished second and third respectively.

Chandrika, who was the undisputed queen in Sri Lankan badminton for over a decade, has held the National singles title from 1997 to 2007 and also from 2005-2008.

She is also a 12-time national doubles champion as well as a 10-time mixed doubles title holder. 

At South Asian Games, the 45-year-old accounts for three silver and eight Bronze medals. At the BWF International Challenge/Series events, she has won seven gold medals and same number of silver medals in different countries.