Badminton
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu dedicates her bronze to the Badminton Federation
With a hattrick win of medals from the Olympics, the BAI has played a key role in nurturing champion shuttlers and PV Sindhu expresses her gratitude to the Federation.
Countless Indians watched with rapt attention as PV Sindhu created history by becoming the first Indian woman to win 2 Olympic medals and taking Indian badminton to unprecedented heights.
Backing up her 2016 Rio Olympics silver, World No. 7 PV Sindhu notched a straight games victory against China's He Bingjiao in their Bronze Medal face-off to secure a second consecutive Olympic medal for herself from the prestigious quadrennial Games.
It's remarkable how much the scene of Indian badminton has grown in leaps and bounds over a decade now, with star shuttlers being moulded and nurtured to excellence.
Led by the likes of former World No. 1's Saina Nehwal, Kidambi Srikanth and 2-time Olympic medallist, PV Sindhu, along with the men's doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the silver medallists from the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Indian badminton has soared and how.
It isn't easy for any player to reach the medal stages of the Olympics - it requires a lot of hard work and proper coordination between the Federation and players to make the medal dream come to life.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI), which is one of the oldest existing governing bodies of the sport, having been established in 1934, has played an integral role in carving out these champions and ensuring that they are there to support them at every step of the way.
It's no mean feat to medal three times in a row in the same sport at the Olympics, especially one that is so competitive like badminton. Yet, India has been producing world-class shuttlers of late, who are not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the very best in the business and have shown time and again that they can also give the top players a run for their money with their prowess on the court.
PV Sindhu dedicates her bronze medal to the BAI
Together with her Korean coach, Park Tae-sang, the 26-year-old PV Sindhu rewrote her name in the pages of history as she became the second Indian, after Sushil Kumar, to become a double medallist at the Olympic Games.
With this remarkable feat, PV Sindhu has not only become the leader in the G.O.A.T race of badminton but also one of India's most successful Olympians.
The General Secretary of BAI, Ajay Singhania expressed his joy after the win and said, "What a player she has been! Sindhu showed once again why she's one of the best in the world...The way she played throughout the match was amazing to see. She is a champion...winning two medals and that too back-to-back is a remarkable achievement," Singhania mentioned to the ANI.
Addressing the press post her historic bronze medal win, PV Sindhu also expressed her gratitude to the BAI and acknowledged their key role in always having her back and helping her stay on track for a medal and make it possible for her to never return from an Olympic Games, empty-handed.
"BAI has really helped me a lot and to all the players and not only to me. I am very thankful to them because I think whenever needed, whatever needed they have always been there," the reigning World Champion humbly noted.
Extending her appreciation for the BAI General Secretary, Sindhu went on to credit them saying, "Of course Ajay Sir, thank you so much because whenever we used to call he used to say yes it is done and the next day it will be done immediately. Aisa ny tha ke bar bar puchna, aisa kuch ny tha, bas ek bar puchne se ho jata tha. (It was never that we had to ask him again and again, asking once was enough)," referring to the prompt actions taken by the BAI to facilitate her training.
Being the great champion that she is, PV Sindhu, who now has her eyes trained on a gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics, further stressed saying, "BAI has really supported us in every single day so I am really thankful, their role is a lot and of course, I also dedicate my medal to them, their efforts are a lot," the 2-time Olympic medallist joyously acknowledged.
