What is the fastest smash in badminton and who holds the record?

Both the fastest badminton smash and the fastest badminton smash in competition records are held by India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy. He hit a blistering 565 km/h (351.07mph) in April 2023 at Yonex Co., Ltd in Soka, Japan, beating the previous record of 493 km/h (306 mph), set in 2013 by Tan Boon Heong. Rankireddy also holds the fastest smash record in the competition, with 500 km/h (311 mph) from the 2023 Korea Open.

Rankireddy is an accomplished Indian badminton player who specializes in men’s doubles competitions. Alongside his partner Chirag Shetty, he represented India in the men's doubles category at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and received well-deserved praise for his impressive performance.

The duo have clinched numerous titles on the BWF circuit, including the Thailand Open and the French Open this year. Notably, they have secured their position as the only Indian doubles pair to reach World No. 1, accomplishing this feat by winning the BWF World Tour 1000 series in Indonesia and capturing gold at the Asian Games, both in 2023.

In April 2023, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy showed his special skills by surpassing the previous Guinness World Record for the fastest men's badminton hit, achieving a sensational speed of 565 km/h (351.07 mph). It was recorded by Yonex Co., Ltd in Soka, Japan, where the sole aim was breaking the Guinness World Record.

For the fastest smash in competition, the Indian ace recorded the 500 km/h mark at the 2023 Korea Open during a doubles quarterfinal match, which he won alongside his partner Chirag Shetty.

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Top 5 fastest smashes in badminton competitions

Badminton is the second-most popular sport in the world, with under 220 million people playing it annually. Let's look at the top five fastest smashes recorded during open competitions:

1. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy from India set the record with a smash of 500 km/h (311 mph) against Hoki/Kobay from Japan at the Korea Open 2023.

2. Prannoy HS from India smashed at 428 km/h (266 mph) against Viktor Axelsen from Denmark at the Japan Open 2023.

3. Mads Pieler Kolding from Denmark achieved a smash of 426 km/h (265 mph) during the 2017 Badminton Premier League.

4. Lakshya Sen from India hit 420 km/h (261 mph) against Li Shifeng from China at the Canada Open 2023.

5. Kunlavut Vitidsarn achieved a smash of 419 km/h (260 mph) against Wang Tzu Wei at the Singapore Open 2023.