Unleashing Lightning: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy Shatters Guinness World Record with the Fastest Smash in Badminton History

Indian badminton star Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has firmly etched his name into the record books by breaking the Guinness World Record for the fastest badminton shot ever recorded. With a phenomenal smash speed of 565 km/hour, Rankireddy has outdone the previous record by a significant margin, a record that stood strong for a decade.

The previous record of 493 km/hour was held by Malaysia’s Tan Boon Heong, an accomplished player and former Asian Games doubles champion, established in May 2013. The magnitude of Rankireddy’s achievement becomes even more evident when we compare his record-breaking speed to those in other sports. To give some perspective, the highest speed recorded by a Formula 1 car is 397.48 km/hour, and the swiftest tennis serve is marked at 263 km/hour.

Rankireddy’s smash now stands as the fastest badminton shot ever hit, transcending gender categories. In the women’s record books, the title for the fastest shot is held by Pealy Tan of Malaysia, with a record speed of 438 km/hour.

Both Rankireddy’s and Tan’s attempts at the world records were carried out under meticulously controlled conditions at the Yonex Tokyo Factory, located in Soka, Saitama, Japan. These attempts were made on April 14, 2023.

The legitimacy of their remarkable feats were later confirmed by the official adjudicators from Guinness World Records, based on the speed measurement results from that day. This validation immortalizes Rankireddy’s incredible achievement, marking an unforgettable moment in the history of badminton. This accomplishment not only raises the bar for future players but also attests to the growing prominence and skill level of Indian badminton on the global stage.