Ahmedabad, Nov 5 (IANS) India’s top-ranked Under-13 paddler Divija Paul continued her impressive run on the international circuit by winning the U13 Singles title at the WTT Youth Contender Chennai 2026, while also reaching the semi-finals of the U15 Mixed Doubles event.
Representing Adani Sportsline’s ‘Garv Hai’ athlete roster, the Assam-based youngster competed at the tournament held from October 23 to 26, adding another international title to her growing collection.
The Chennai triumph marked Divija’s second WTT Youth Contender singles gold in recent weeks, following her victory in the U13 category at Puerto Princesa in the Philippines. She has also secured U11 and U13 gold medals at WTT Youth Contender events in Vadodara in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
“Winning in Chennai while wearing the ‘Garv Hai’ jersey is a moment I will always remember. When Adani Sportsline backed me, it felt like someone truly believed I could win. Every time I step up to the table, that belief steps up with me. I would like to thank them for standing with me and my family on this journey. My focus now shifts to the upcoming Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) Championship in Jalandhar,” said Divija.
A Class VII student at Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS), Silchar, Divija first picked up a table tennis racket at the age of six. Her breakthrough at the national level came in 2023 when she won her maiden national title in the U11 category at Panchkula.
She has since continued to make progress across age groups, winning the U13 title at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championship in Delhi in 2025 before adding the U13 Doubles crown at the UTT National Table Tennis Championship in Gandhidham later that year.
Earlier this month, she also secured a bronze medal in the U13 Girls category at the National Ranking Table Tennis Championship in Panchkula.
Under the ‘Garv Hai’ initiative, Adani Sportsline has been supporting Divija since September 2026 through international-standard equipment, travel assistance for domestic and overseas competitions, and strength and conditioning facilities.
The backing is aimed at helping the young paddler continue her development as she works towards her long-term ambition of winning an Olympic gold medal for India.
–IANS
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