Sindhu celebrates Olympic medal with party for Suchitra Badminton Academy sparring partners

PV Sindhu is known for her swiftness on a badminton court, but on Wednesday night, she fared equally well on the dance floor during a party at the Suchitra Badminton Academy.

Sindhu threw the party to express her gratitude for the sparring partners who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to help her prepare for the Tokyo Olympics.

The 20-odd sparring partners have been playing with Sindhu at the Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad since February to help their "didi" (elder sister) prepare for the Games. The youngsters demanded a party from Sindhu and were thrilled when the Indian badminton queen obliged them.

Sindhu danced and enjoyed the party with fellow shuttlers: Pradeep Raju

The 26-year-old mingled well with the young players and danced and sang with them. Pradeep Raju, founder and head coach of Suchitra Badminton Academy, also accompanied Sindhu.

PV Sindhu had a great time with the sparring partners

“Yes, Sindhu was dancing all night and she had a blast. She enjoyed every minute of the party. All of them had a great time together. Sometimes, players also need a break like this to recharge their batteries. They deserve this moment after all the hard work of the last few months,” said Pradeep Raju.

The sparring partners, most of them teenagers, were glad that Sindhu accepted their request. It proved to be a memorable night for them.

“Sindhu Didi’s win was ours. We were ecstatic when she won the bronze medal on August 1. We were expecting gold from Didi because she was in dazzling form before she left for Tokyo. It was just one bad day (against Chinese Taipei’s Tai Tzu Ying) which prevented her from winning the gold medal. We were all equally delighted when she won the bronze medal for the country,” said one of the sparring partners.

PV Sindhu with the players and Suchitra Badminton Academy head coach Pradeep Raju

The reigning world champion is scheduled to play in the Sudirman Cup from September 26 to October 3 and the Uber Cup from October 9 to 17. Sindhu resumed her fitness sessions a few days ago and will ramp up the intensity in the weeks to come. She is also set to resume on-court practice in preparation for the forthcoming tournaments.