Paris Olympics 2024: Satwik-Chirag placed alongside Indonesia’s Alfian-Ardanto in draw

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) on Monday ended the suspense surrounding the draw for the men’s doubles event in the upcoming Paris Olympics with India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty getting placed in Group C.

Satwik and Chirag are placed alongside Indonesia’s Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto in Group C, which also comprises Germany’s Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel and France’s Lucas Corvee and Ronan Labar.

Group D meanwhile, comprises defending champions Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin of Chinese Taipei as well as Denmark’s Kim Astrup and Anders Skaarup Rasmussen, who are ranked second in the world.

World No 1 pair Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, meanwhile, are placed alongside Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik.

The men’s doubles groups for #Paris2024.#Olympics #badminton | @Paris2024 @Olympics pic.twitter.com/6EmZNSo6h4

— BWF (@bwfmedia) July 15, 2024

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Satwik and Chirag are strong medal contenders heading into the Paris Olymipcs given their stellar performances in recent years, winning World Championships bronze in 2022 before creating history with Asian Games gold in Hangzhou last year. They were also part of the Indian team that won the Thomas Cup in 2022.

Should then finish on the podium in Paris, Satwik and Chirag will become the first male shuttlers to win an Olympic medal. India have won three Olympic medals in football till date, all of them in women’s singles starting with Saina Nehwal’s bronze in London 2012.

The BWF had on Friday unveiled the singles draw for both genders as well as the women’s and mixed doubles events.

Both PV Sindhu, who had won a historic silver in Rio 2016 and a bronze in Tokyo 2020, and HS Prannoy received favourable draws in the group stage while Lakshya Sen was placed in the same group as World No 3 Jonatan Christie of Indonesia in Group L.

Sindhu, meanwhile, is grouped alongside Estonia’s Kristin Kuuba as well as Maldives’ Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq, who are ranked 75th and 111th respectively in Group M of the women’s singles event.

The world No 13, however, faces the possibility of stiff Chinese challenge should she advance, with He Bing Jiao and Chen Yu Fei her potential opponents in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively.

Olympic debutant Prannoy, on the other hand, is up against Vietnam’s Le Duc Phat and Germany’s Fabian Roth, ranked 70th and 82nd respectively in Group K.

As for women’s doubles, Tanisha Crasto and Ashwini Ponnappa face a stiff challenge from World No. 4 Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida of Japan and World No. 7 Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong of South Korea.