Trichy: A city college student has won the gold medal in the senior doubles badminton event in the 7th Indo-Nepal Rural Youth Games 2020-21 held in Pokhara in Nepal on Thursday. 19-year-old J Santhosh, a first-year student of B Sc Physical Education at National College Trichy (NCT), won the medal along with his partner K Darshan Kumar of Sathyabama University. The duo played four games in the tournament and registered a victory against tough competitors from Nepal to win the gold medal.
Santhosh had almost missed out on the 7th National Rural Youth Games 2020, held in Goa in November 2020 – a gateway to the Indo-Nepal Rural Youth games - after his family members contracted the Covid-19 infection. Remaining in quarantine for a month, he fought back, restarted his training and went on to win gold in the National Rural Youth Games. Santosh won all the six games in the tournament including won a hard fought final against a team from Jammu & Kashmir “It was indeed a tough phase as some of my family members had tested positive. I missing training for a long time. Support from my coach and teachers helped me bounce back,” said Santhosh.