Heading into the second Olympics together as a doubles pair, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa know very well as to what to expect from the quadrennial event. The 2014 Commonwealth Games silver medalist have spearheaded the Indian doubles contingent together for close to 6 years now and will now go into their second and perhaps their last Olympics as a pair, hoping to win the elusive medal.
Also joining them will be Tan Kim Her, the Malaysian coach who has been helping the doubles team and he felt that the duo weren’t heading into Rio as the favourites and that factor would help them remain relaxed and focus on the game.
“This can be a huge plus, for a lot of load is off your shoulder and you can stay more focussed and relaxed too. Both of them are experienced players and know what is expected of them. It is not just about skills but also more about making them mentally tough for the big event.” the Malaysian said in an interview to The Hindu.
Entering into her second Olympics, Jwala felt that she was feeling much fitter and added none of the pairs could be taken lightly at the Games.
“I am a lot more fitter and better as Kim also worked on our individual skills a lot.
“The fact that there are only 16 doubles combinations in Olympics, means that every team is going to be tough. There is no way you can relax. You have to up the ante for every point. To stay focussed through the match is the biggest challenge and we are ready for that,” the 32-year-old shuttler said.
Ashwini, on the other hand, spoke about how she and Jwala were going to Rio, looking to do one better than what they did at London, 4 years back.
“The common goal for both of us is to really do well. We are fortunate to have a coach in Kim who knows what exactly we both need to do and ensures that we combine really well to produce the results. The key is consistency and the efforts are there in the training session. Even Jwala has really worked a lot.
“We know how things went wrong in London and definitely are keen to set the record straight this time around.Our strong points are offence and the totally different game we play together. I don’t think any other duo plays like us,” the shuttler said.
When asked whether this would be her final Olympics, Jwala said that one couldn’t say what would happen and added that if the duo do return home with a medal, she could continue playing the sport.
“You can never say. If we come back with a medal, which is our dream and biggest goal, I can keep playing for I just can’t think of staying away from the sport.Age is no bar for any sportsperson if he or she stays fit and keeps performing consistently at the highest level," Jwala said.
