India badminton star Rankireddy hits world’s fastest smash

India’s star badminton player Satwiksairaj Rankireddy was in news again as he set the Guinness world record for the fastest hit by a male player in badminton. He recorded an amazing speed of 565 km/h with his smash.

Last month, he grabbed the headlines, creating history by winning the men’s doubles title at the Indonesia Open along with his partner, Chirag Shetty. They became the first doubles pair from India to claim a Super 1000 event.

Rankireddy by smashing at a speed of 565 km/hr broke a decade-long record set in May, 2013 by Tan Boon Heong of Malaysia. Heong had produced a speed of 493 km/h at that time with his smash.

Joining Rankireddy at the top was Tan Pearly of Malaysia who set the Guinness world record for the fastest female badminton hits with a remarkable speed of 438 km/h.

In its Press release Yonex, the Japanese sports equipment manufacturing company said: “Yonex is proud to announce that Yonex badminton athletes, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy (IND) and Tan Pearly (MAS), have set new Guinness world records title for the fastest male and female badminton hits.”

The world record attempts were achieved on April 14 and official judges from the Guinness World Records verified it.

Rankireddy’s smash was conducted in a controlled environment at the Yonex factory gymnasium in Soka, Saitama, Japan.