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2/16/26, 10:33 AM Ryan Malhan tops BWF World Junior Rankings in landmark achievement for UAE Badminton | Sport | emirates7
Ryan Malhan tops BWF World Junior Rankings in landmark achievement
for UAE Badminton

13-02-2026 04:14 PM

emirates7 -Ryan Malhan has marked a historic milestone for UAE badminton by topping the latest Badminton World
Federation (BWF) youth rankings, following his impressive, well-deserved victory at the BWF-sanctioned Hungarian
International Youth Championship.

The achievement crowns a standout run of continental and international success. Malhan previously secured a bronze medal
at the 2025 Asian Youth Games, building on his earlier podium finish at the 2024 Asian U15 Championships. Together, these
achievements firmly establish him as one of Asia’s elite players in his age category.

Malhan’s rise on the global stage reflects the strength of the UAE’s integrated sports development framework, led by the
UAE Committee For Talent And Sports Support. At the heart of this progress is the recently launched ‘National Athlete
Pathway,’ a comprehensive integrated framework designed to identify, nurture, and elevate sporting talent in line with
international best practices.

Elite Sport UAE (ESUAE) has also played a critical role in his journey by providing a professional high-performance
environment through the Badminton Centre of Excellence. This includes advanced technical support and specialised
strength and fitness programs tailored to support elite-level development.

As part of its ongoing efforts, the Committee also organised a high-level specialised technical meeting with world-renowned
global badminton star Anders Antonsen, currently ranked World No. 3 by the BWF. Antonsen, a European Games
champion (2019), four-time European Champion (2021–2024), and multiple World Championships bronze medalist (2021,
2023, 2025), met with officials and emerging talents on the sidelines of the UAE Sports Talent Badminton Championship.
The meeting, which concluded recently, aimed to strengthen the player’s technical capabilities and enhance his pathway
toward world-class performance.

Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Sports Development and Competitiveness Sector at
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