Rio de Janeiro, Aug 4 (IANS) Indian women's doubles shuttler Jwala Gutta assured on Thursday that she and her partner Ashwini Ponnappa will give their best at the upcoming Summer Olympics and will be aiming for a podium finish.
"I am proud to be a part of Team India at Rio 2016. We'll give our best for the nation #NamakKeWaastey," the Arjuna awardee tweeted on Thursday along with a photo of herself and Ashwini in the streets of Rio.
The 32-year-old has been representing India on the international circuit for more than 15 year, and has attained a personal best rank of 10 in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings.
Jwala and Ashwini have notched up gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and a silver at the next edition in Glasgow. They have also clinched a bronze at the 2011 World Championships -- the first ever medal for India in the doubles event at the Worlds -- and also won the Uber Cup title in 2014. They have the ability to spring a surprise at the Olympics as well.
The pair will be playing their first match against Japan's A. Takahashi and M. Matsutomo at the Riocentro on August 11.
Indian hopes are also centred on ace shuttler Saina Nehwal, P.V. Sindhu, Kidambri Srikanth, and the Indian men's duo of Manu Attri and Sumeeth Reddy.
The seven-member Indian badminton contingent, the country's largest so far at the Games, arrived here on Thursday.
--IANS
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