Ali Thameem
Maldivian badminton player Laiba Ahmed Mahloof has won three medals at the Batumi Cup Youth International 2025 in Georgia.
The tournament took place from 20 to 24 August and brought together 78 young players from different countries, competing in the U11, U13, and U15 age categories.
Laiba, playing in the U13 category, managed to finish on the podium in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. Matches in this tournament were played for 15 points.
In the girls’ doubles, she reached the final alongside Magda Shakhbazian of Georgia. They came up against the top-seeded Kazakh pair, Slyamzhan Ailin and Leonova Sofiya.
Laiba and Magda came close to forcing a deuce in the first set, but lost it 13–15. The second set went to their opponents as well, ending 15–10. With that result, Laiba secured the silver medal. It was progress from last year’s Batumi Cup, where she had won bronze in the same event.
Laiba also met Sofiya in the singles bracket. Sofiya went on to win the gold medal after defeating Laiba in the semifinal 15–10, 15–12. Earlier in the quarterfinals, Laiba had beaten Ahmadli Daniz 15–3, 15–11. For the second year in a row, she finished the competition with a singles bronze.
In mixed doubles, Laiba partnered with Armenian player Manukyan Narek. They fell short in the semifinal against Turkey’s Kağan Demircioğlu and Elisa Yalçın, who won in straight sets, 15–7, 15–8. Laiba’s campaign ended with bronze in this category.
