Updated On: 08 October, 2025 08:41 AM IST | Guwahati | Agencies
While China entrusted their national junior team to Chen Long following his retirement in 2023, Sai Praneeth, who retired and moved to the USA last year to train youngsters at a local club, is on his first assignment with the US national team

B Sai Praneeth at Guwahati; (right) China’s junior team coach Chen Long at the BWF World Jr C’ships in Guwahati on Tuesday. Pic/Badminton Photo
While the Chinese and US junior team members were gearing up for their BWF World Junior Championships campaign here, two individuals standing at different corners of the stadium were attracting more eyeballs than the players themselves.
Standing beside the Chinese team was 2016 Rio Olympics gold medallist and former world champion Chen Long, 36, while accompanying the USA team was 2019 world championship bronze medallist and one of India’s star players B Sai Praneeth, 33.