Malhan Wins Youth Olympic Badminton Gold
The UAE's Riyan Malhan took the boys' singles title at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, the country's first gold of the Games.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Olympics
Riyan Malhan won the boys' badminton singles gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, beating France's Mady Sow 21-17, 21-18 in the final on Thursday. Sow took silver, and Malhan hugged him across the net right after the final point.
Why it matters
The win is the first Youth Olympic gold for the United Arab Emirates, giving the country its first medal of its kind at the event. It also adds to Malhan's rise in junior badminton, following recent titles in China.
Malhan won the final 21-17, 21-18, and in Chengdu earlier in 2026 he took the under-17 singles title 15-5, 15-9 over Zhan Shing Yui. His Chengdu record also included a doubles bronze, and he had earned an under-15 bronze at the 2024 Asian championships.
The players
Riyan Malhan
A badminton player from the United Arab Emirates who won Youth Olympic gold and has built a junior record that includes Asian championship titles.
Mady Sow
A French badminton player who took silver in the boys' singles final at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
The details
Malhan won the boys' singles final in Dakar in two games, approaching his opponent immediately after the last point to hug him across the net. The final was played on Thursday, and the result gave the UAE its first Youth Olympic Games gold medal.
Timeline
2024: Malhan wins under-15 bronze at the Asian U17 and U15 Junior Championships.
2026: Malhan wins the under-17 singles title and doubles bronze in Chengdu, China.
Thursday, November 5, 2026: Malhan wins the boys' singles gold at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
Season Trajectory
The Youth Olympic Games, first held in Singapore in 2010, give young athletes a major international stage that often shapes early junior careers. Malhan's win follows a run of junior titles and places him among the emerging badminton players to watch from the region.
Malhan's gold gives the UAE a first Youth Olympic badminton champion, which may raise interest in the sport among junior players in the region. Fans following the Youth Olympic Games can track which national medal counts change as the event continues.
The takeaway
Malhan's gold shows how junior events can produce breakthrough moments for smaller badminton nations. Following young players across multiple championships gives a clearer picture of who may challenge at the senior level.
Further reading
Explore more Olympics coverage for the wider Youth Olympic Games context.
