Nozomi Okuhara became the youngest champion ever at the national badminton championships Sunday at 16 years, 8 months, when five-time winner Eriko Hirose withdrew about 10 minutes before the women's singles final due to acute gastroenteritis.
Okuhara also became the first high school player to win the event since 18-year-old Aiko Miyamura achieved the feat in 1989.
"This hasn't sunk in yet because I didn't play today, but I'm happy," said Okuhara, who goes to Omiya Higashi High School in Saitama Prefecture. (Japan Times)
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