KOLKATA: As Tanvi Patri produced one of the most remarkable fightbacks during the badminton girls’ singles final of Youth Olympic Games, her father Rabinarayan Patri was not in the stands witnessing it unfold.Instead, he was rushing through an airport, trying to catch a flight.What followed was an emotional roller-coaster. The 15-year-old Indian clawed her way back from 10-19 down in the deciding game against reigning world junior champion Zhang Yi Xin, saved six match points and even earned three of her own before eventually falling 15-21, 21-13, 24-26 in a marathon contest in Dakar on Thursday night.For many, it was a heartbreaking defeat. For her father, it was something else entirely.“Before the match, I told Tanvi that I would be happy even if she won a silver medal. I told her to enjoy the game, play for herself and play for the country,” Rabinarayan told TOI from Dubai on Friday.The close finish naturally left him wondering what might have been.“At 24-23 in the final game, one smash just missed the line. That was purely down to luck. Otherwise, she could have won it. But what makes me happy is that she finished the tournament healthy. That is the most important thing for me.”Tanvi came into the tournament after falling ill during the World Junior Championships following a long journey, and also had to contend with Dakar’s heat, lack of air conditioning and mosquitoes.Despite those challenges, the result marked another milestone in the rapid rise of the Odisha shuttler who trains at the Centre for Badminton Excellence (CBE) in Bengaluru.Yet Rabinarayan insists neither he nor his daughter have allowed themselves to become consumed by junior results.“She called me after the match from the washroom and was crying. She said, ‘Papa, I lost.’”His response was immediate.“I told her to forget it because past is past. She had already achieved something wonderful. I reminded her that this is just the junior circuit. People may remember the result for a month or two, but that is not what defines a career.”For him, the destination remains much bigger than a Youth Olympic title.“The real target is an Olympic medal. Winning a junior title is good, but not winning it is not the end of the world. She won a silver medal and fought all the way. It was not as though she was outplayed. She gave a tremendous fight, and people saw her potential.”For now, though the focus will now shift to participating in a series of events after injuries disrupted much of her year. She is scheduled to compete in Indonesia, the Syed Modi International in Lucknow, the Guwahati Masters, the Odisha Masters and then the Senior National Championships.“It will be a challenging stretch. We may not perform well in every tournament, and that is okay,” he said. “The important thing is that she continues gaining experience against a variety of opponents on the senior circuit.”Strength and conditioning will also remain key areas of focus in the coming year.But for a father whose daughter came within a whisker of Youth Olympic gold, the outlook remains uncomplicated. “I want her to enjoy the game, compete without fear and develop the mindset needed at the highest level.”And if Dakar is any indication, the 15-year-old is doing exactly that.While the silver medal was the biggest achievement of her young career, Tanvi’s favourite memories from the Games had little to do with the podium. “My most memorable moments were trading pins, making new friends and playing games in the 365 Athlete House,” she said.
