UAE, 13 February 2026- Ryan Malhan has marked a historic milestone for UAE badminton by topping the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) youth rankings, following his impressive, well-deserved victory at the BWF-sanctioned Hungarian International Youth Championship.
The achievement crowns a standout run of continental and international success. Malhan previously secured a bronze medal at the 2025 Asian Youth Games, building on his earlier podium finish at the 2024 Asian U15 Championships. Together, these achievements firmly establish him as one of Asia’s elite players in his age category.
A National ecosystem for champion development
Malhan’s rise on the global stage reflects the strength of the UAE’s integrated sports development framework, led by the UAE Committee For Talent And Sports Support. At the heart of this progress is the recently launched ‘National Athlete Pathway,’ a comprehensive integrated framework designed to identify, nurture, and elevate sporting talent in line with international best practices.
Elite Sport UAE (ESUAE) has also played a critical role in his journey by providing a professional high-performance environment through the Badminton Centre of Excellence. This includes advanced technical support and specialised strength and fitness programs tailored to support elite-level development.
As part of its ongoing efforts, the Committee also organised a high-level specialised technical meeting with world-renowned global badminton star Anders Antonsen, currently ranked World No. 3 by the BWF. Antonsen, a European Games champion (2019), four-time European Champion (2021–2024), and multiple World Championships bronze medalist (2021, 2023, 2025), met with officials and emerging talents on the sidelines of the UAE Sports Talent Badminton Championship. The meeting, which concluded recently, aimed to strengthen the player’s technical capabilities and enhance his pathway toward world-class performance.
Official backing and institutional synergy
H.E. Sheikh Suhail bin Butti Al Maktoum, Assistant Undersecretary for the Sports Development and Competitiveness Sector at the Ministry of Sports, and Chairman of the UAE Committee For Talent And Sports Support, highlighted Malhan’s achievement as a testament to the nation’s strategic vision and commitment to investing in sporting talent. H.E. emphasised that the accomplishment reflects a unified institutional effort and demonstrates the effectiveness of the ‘National Athlete Pathway’ in preparing athletes to compete, succeed, and represent the UAE at the highest international levels.
Commenting on the meeting with Antonsen, H.E. Suhail bin Butti noted that this initiative comes as part of the Committee’s strategy to engage and involve globally accomplished, Olympic-level athletes in talent discovery championships across various sports. Such initiatives, H.E. said, are designed to accelerate the technical development of emerging Emirati talent, broaden their global exposure, and enhance the competitive prospects of achieving international success.
Noura Al Jasmi, President of the UAE Badminton Federation, also expressed pride in Malhan’s achievement, highlighting it as evidence of badminton’s rapid growth within the country. She described Malhan as a role model of the ambitious Emirati athlete and credited his success to long-term planning and close coordination between the federation and supporting institutions and committees.
She further added that a sponsorship agreement was signed late last year for Ryan Malhan with the UAE Committee For Talent And Sports Support. The agreement provides comprehensive support for his international participation, alongside technical, administrative, and logistical guidance, creating the ideal environment for him to achieve further world-class performance and raise the UAE flag at international arenas.