P V Sindhu dedicates World Championship victory to her mother

India’s ace shuttler, 24-year-old P V Sindhu scripted history on Sunday as she defeated World no. 4 Japanese shuttler Nozomi Okuhara to win her first-ever, as well as India's first gold at the BWF World Championship in Basel, Switzerland. The Hyderabadi badminton player's long-eluded pursuit of the gold medal comes after reaching the final for the third consecutive time. After winning, Sindhu said she dedicates this victory to her mother P. Vijaya who celebrates her birthday on Sunday as well.

In the first game, Sindhu sailed past Okuhara with an early lead taking it to 8-1 resulting from a series of errors by the Japanese. She quickly reached the half-way mark making it 11-2 with a cross-court smash. Okuhara secured a point only at 16-3 but Sindhu maintained her composure. Okuhara came back with two successive points at 18-5. But Sindhu showed her prowess covering the four corners and eventually winning 21-7.

The second game began with Okuhara showing her good reflexes but the Indian stayed at her best shape and kept on outplaying her opponent. Sindhu maintained a two-point lead at 4-2 and further built upon her rival’s errors. Sindhu looked way more psychologically stern consistently steaming off her opponent. She went on to build her lead to 9-2. A couple of errors costed her two points but makes to the interval 11-4. There was no stopping Sindhu as she cruised towards her maiden gold World Championship title leading 15-4. Okuhara made to 17-6, but Sindhu was at her ever best. A brilliant smash took her 19-6 and eventually won the match point.

Sindhu becomes the first Indian shuttler to win the World Championship thus scripting history in the country’s sporting record book. The Hyderabad girl showed strong grit and perseverance to win this long-eluded gold medal on her third consecutive final appearance. With this, she avenged her 2017 defeat to Okuhara in the final by narrow margins. In 2018, Sindhu went down against Spain’s Carolina Marin. Sindhu now has five medals in BWF World Championship (Gold – 2019; Silver – 2017, 2018, Bronze – 2013, 2014) equalling the record of China’s Zhang Ning.