City girl Ruhi Raju wins silver in Guatemala badminton

Ruhi Raju defeated Namie Miyahira of Peru 21-18, 21-17 in the semifinal

Hyderabad: Ruhi Raju bagged a silver in the Guatemala International badminton tournament after losing to Colombia’s Juliana Giraldo 10-21, 15-21 in the final.

Earlier, the Hyderabad girl, who trains under Pradeep Raju, head coach and founder of the Suchitra Academy, defeated Namie Miyahira of Peru 21-18, 21-17 in the semifinal, and then shocked top-seeded Nike Sotomayor from the host country 21-23, 21-19, 21-16 in the quarterfinal.

---

“This medal is not just about winning matches; it’s about proving to myself that I can rise again,” said Ruhi, who was accompanied by Raunaq, a top-ranked shuttler.

“For Ruhi, this is more than just a medal,” said Mr. Pradeep Raju. “Watching her reach the finals in her very first tournament after such a long break is a proud moment for us, and proof of her resilience,” he said.

“We hope she will continue to keep improving as this silver is a huge morale-booster,” Pradeep Raju said.