From Dubai Courts To World No. 1: Riyan Malhan's Badminton Rise

2026-02-16 02:25:38

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Born into a family of academicians, Riyan Malhan is not topping school exams. Instead, the Dubai-born Indian teenager has cracked the formula for becoming an elite international badminton player.

At just 15, Riyan has climbed to world No. 1 in the Under-19 category, a remarkable achievement for someone competing above his age group.

Recommended For You Traffic alert: Sharjah University City entrances, exits closed till 10pm today

“I am very happy to be the world number one (in under-19) because I am so young. It is very rare to be in that category at such a young age,” the rising UAE badminton star told Khaleej Times.

The first player from the UAE and West Asia to clinch a medal at the Badminton Asia U17 and U15 Junior Championships in Chengdu, China, in 2024, Riyan has continued to take significant strides, winning a bronze in the 2025 Asian Youth Games and a gold at a recent international tournament in Hungary.

“I have improved a lot now. My training has been much more intense, my fitness has improved,” he said.“My coaches have worked on all my weaknesses to make me a better player.”

Riyan also acknowledged the support the UAE sporting ecosystem has provided him in Dubai.

“I have a lot of gratitude for the UAE Badminton Federation and Noura Al Jasmi, the president of the federation, for their continued support,” he said.“All my coaches in Dubai, and the people in the sports talent committee - without their support, this would not have been possible.”

While his immediate goal is the Youth Olympic Games, Riyan hopes to represent the UAE on the sport's greatest stage.

“My ultimate goal is to play in the Summer Olympic Games. That's the biggest dream,” he said.“But I know I have to work very hard for that.”

A big admirer of Chinese maestro Lin Dan (arguably the greatest player of all time), Riyan believes Dubai has given him the ideal platform to chase his dreams.

“Living in Dubai is a great advantage because a lot of elite badminton players train here,” he said.

“Viktor Axelsen (two-time Olympic champion and three-time world champion from Denmark) and Lakshya Sen (a world championship bronze medallist and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist from India) train here regularly,” he said.

“I haven't trained with them, but I train regularly with Anders Antonsen (world number three from Denmark). Whenever he's in Dubai, he calls me, and I play with him. That has also helped me a lot to improve my game.

“So if I were not in Dubai, this would not have been possible.”