New Delhi, Nov. 7 -- Fifteen-year-old Tanvi Patri produced a stunning fightback in the Youth Olympic Games badminton girls' singles final in Dakar, only to fall agonisingly short against China's Zhang Yi Xin. Her father, Rabinarayan Patri, was not in the stands to watch it. He was rushing through an airport trying to catch a flight. The emotional call that followed captured the moment perfectly.

The Odisha shuttler, who trains at the Centre for Badminton Excellence in Bengaluru, recovered from 10-19 down in the deciding game. She saved six match points and created three of her own before losing 15-21, 21-13, 24-26. For many, it felt like a heartbreak. For her father, speaking to the Times of India from Dubai, it was a reminder of bigger ...