Badminton
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy 'smashes' Guinness World Record for fastest badminton shot
Doubles star Satwiksairaj Rankireddy wrote his name in the record books after unleashing the fastest badminton hit ever recorded, breaking a 10-year record.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy broke a decade-long Guinness World Record. [Photo Source: Instagram]
Indian shuttler Satwiksairaj Rankireddy shattered a decade-long standing Guinness World Record for the fastest badminton hit ever recorded.
The 2022 Commonwealth gold medallist's smash was recorded at an unbelievable speed of 565 km/h (about 351 mph). To put things into comparison, that is quicker than the top speed of 372.6 km/h achieved by a Formula 1 car.
Malaysia’s Tan Pearly additionally recorded the fastest badminton hit (female) with her smash at the speed of 438 km/h.
The previous record was held by Malaysian badminton player, Tan Boon Heong. Heong’s smash in 2013 was at a high speed of 493km/h (272 mph).
How was it measured?
According to Yonex, the moments of impact in the actual smash was captured using a high-speed camera. While the instant velocity of the shuttlecock after the impact was calculated from the photographic recording. Rankireddy used a Yonex Nanoflare 1000 Z racquet for the record-breaking shot.
Who holds the record for the fastest hit in open play?
Rankireddy’s smash was conducted in a controlled environment at the Yonex factory gymnasium in Soka, Saitama, Japan.
Fellow countryman, Lakshya Sen holds the record for the fastest smash in men’s singles. Sen recently recorded a phenomenal 420 km/h smash during the final of the 2023 BWF Canada Open.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and his doubles partner Chirag Shetty, the world number 3 in men's doubles, will be in action at the Korea Open, a Super 500 event, this week. As of now, they are India's best bet for an Olympic medal in Paris next year.
