Malhan makes history with UAE’s first gold medal at Youth Olympics

The UAE delegation celebrated the gold medal achievement of Riyan Malhan, a member of the UAE national badminton team, on Thursday.

Malhan won gold in the boys’ singles event at the fourth Youth Olympic Games, Dakar 2026, beating France’s Mady Sow 2–0 in the final to secure the UAE’s first gold medal in the history of its participation at the Games.

Malhan stressed that winning the UAE’s first gold medal in the history of the Youth Olympic Games at Dakar 2026 represents an exceptional moment in his sporting career. He expressed his pride in achieving this feat and raising the national flag on the podium.

Malhan said: “Winning a gold medal for the UAE is an achievement I will always cherish. I put in a lot of effort to reach this moment, and what makes it even more special is that it represents a historic achievement for my country.

“I hope this medal inspires more young athletes in the UAE to believe in their abilities and work towards achieving their dreams.”

Reflecting on the moment he secured victory in the final, he explained: “It took me a few seconds to take in what had happened. I felt great happiness and relief after all the work, training and sacrifices I had put in. When I realised I had won gold, I was overwhelmed with pride at having achieved it for the UAE.” Speaking about his future ambitions, Malhan stressed that the gold medal gives him further motivation to keep working. He said: “This is a major achievement, but I do not want to stop here. I aspire to deliver an outstanding performance at the 2027 World Championships and work towards qualifying for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games. I know the road ahead requires a lot of effort, and I am ready for it.”

Michael Noerbaek, coach of the UAE national badminton team, also stressed that Malhan’s achievement in winning the UAE’s first gold medal in the history of its participation at the Youth Olympic Games represents a historic achievement and a major milestone in the sport’s journey in the country. He noted that the success was the result of hard work, discipline and dedication.

Noerbaek said: “We are very proud and delighted with this achievement. Riyan put in great effort to reach this moment and fully deserved the title.

“Good preparation, consistency in his performance and the ability to handle pressure were among the main factors behind his impressive form throughout the tournament, particularly in the final against his French opponent. He showed great focus and confidence in his abilities, chose the right moments to attack and remained patient.”

He explained that preparations for the final combined mental and tactical elements, adding: “We made sure Riyan remained calm and focused on each point rather than thinking about the medal. Our strategy centred on controlling the rallies, maintaining good positioning on court and making the most of opportunities, while giving him the confidence to play his usual game.”

Noerbaek noted that Riyan’s passion for improvement, competitive spirit and constant willingness to work are important foundations for his future.

“He stressed that the next stage will focus on his transition to senior-level competition, improving his world ranking and gaining further international experience, alongside preparations for the 2027 World Championships and the qualification pathway for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

He concluded: “We hope this gold medal inspires more young players in the UAE to take up badminton. For Riyan, it is an important milestone and the beginning of even greater ambitions. We will continue working step by step to build on this achievement.”

UAE national equestrian team rider Alya Almheiri finished ninth in the showjumping final, having qualified from a field of 24 riders. Riding Karlista de Residal, she completed her round in 36.50 seconds with eight penalty points.

Almheiri had previously won the gold medal with Team Asia in the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) team competition held during the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.