• December 31, 2025

Nikhil Pulikottil Clinches Triple Crown at English National U-15 Badminton Championships

LONDON Dec 31: Keralite youngster Nikhil Pulikottil delivered an outstanding performance at the English National U-15 Badminton Championships, winning three gold medals to complete a rare triple crown. He emerged champion in boys’ singles, boys’ doubles, and mixed doubles at the prestigious tournament held at the University of Warwick Indoor Sports Centre.

Nikhil Pulikottil dominated every category he entered. He secured the boys’ singles title with a straight-sets victory over Warwickshire’s Suchir Krishna Addagondala, winning 21–14, 21–16 in the final. In boys’ doubles, he partnered Phil Daniel of Halifax, Yorkshire, to claim gold, while in mixed doubles he teamed up with Mutiara Mandala of Loughborough, Leicester, to complete the clean sweep. Across the doubles events, Nikhil and his partners displayed commanding form, allowing their opponents little room to challenge.

A native of Kunnamkulam, Nikhil has once again brought pride to the Malayali community with his remarkable achievement. This latest success adds to an impressive run, as he has consistently been winning national championship titles for the past four years.

Nikhil trains at the OPBC Academy under the guidance of former English cricketer Robert Godling. He studies in Class X at Upminster Cooper and Coborn School, where he is known not only for his sporting excellence but also for strong academic performance and active participation in school activities.

Badminton talent runs in the family. Nikhil’s elder brother, Samuel Pulikottil, is also an accomplished player and won a bronze medal in the U-19 category at this year’s National Championships. Both brothers are students at the same school.

Nikhil Deepak Pulikottil is the younger son of Deepak and Bini Pulikottil, who reside in London. His father works as a Business Intelligence Manager at the NHS, while his mother is a paediatric physiotherapist with the NHS.