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PV Sindhu created history at the Olympics 2021 by becoming the first Indian female athlete to win two Olympic medals. Sindhu won the bronze medal by defeating He Bingjiao in straight sets 21-13 21-15. Sindhu had won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics before this.
Sindhu started the match on an aggressive note and dominated her Chinese opponent. She won points at the net and used her smashes to great effect. She led the match for the majority of the game and was able to capitalize on the lead to kill the tie.
Yesterday, PV Sindhu lost her semifinal clash against Tai Tzu Ying and hence had to compete for the bronze medal today. She was able to end her Olympic campaign on a high and win the match.
Check Out: Tokyo Olympics 2021 Schedule
Sindhu played six games in the tournament and won five. What was more impressive was that she dropped only two sets during the entire tournament.
Reflecting on her campaign, her bronze medal win and how different it was to the medal won in Rio, Sindhu said:
"This was tougher than Rio. I was very young back then, I was a newcomer and people didn’t expect me to win. I had a lot more pressure and responsibility this time but I think this was also different because a lot has happened since then game-wise, so many ups and downs. However, getting a medal here is a great feeling here.”
Speaking about her strategy for the bronze medal game, PV Sindhu said:
“No particular strategy. She’s a left hander and is very deceptive. So it was important to stay in the rally and not make mistakes. It was important to be patient. In the first game, it was important to maintain the lead. The second game was neck to neck, I took a small lead and maintained that and thankfully killed the game.”
She further added:
“I was just calm and composed and gave my best. He is also a good player and was playing good since the first point. But overall, I’m extremely happy I got a medal for my country.”
PV Sindhu - The first Indian female athlete with 2 Olympic medals
On being the first Indian female athlete to win two Olympic medals, Sindhu said:
"Well, I’m extremely happy. Put in a lot of effort. When you put in the effort and win you feel on cloud nine. I have no words. My parents, sponsors and everyone else have put in a lot of effort. We’ve been waiting for this and it feels good to be here.”
Sindhu also thanked her coach Park Tae-Sang for the efforts put in by him. She said:
“After the match I didn’t know what to say. I missed an opportunity [to win the gold] so should I be sad or happy [ to win the gold]? My coach is certainly happy. He put in a lot of effort and I would like to thank him. In this pandemic, he was with me all the time. He would have been missing his family. He always believed in me and we’ve finally done it.”
On her preparations today before the match and how she recovered from yesterday's loss, Sindhu said:
“Yesterday, I was sad. But my coach told me that you have another opportunity. He told me that there is a huge difference between a bronze and 4th place. My parents also motivated me. I woke up today, I did some stretching. I was constantly thinking of the game. I had to wait the whole day so it was very difficult to be calm. But, that pressure will always be there.”
The Covid-19 pandemic did not make the preparations easy for any athlete. The same was true for PV Sindhu. Sharing her training in the build-up to the Tokyo Olympics, Sindhu said:
“Not difficult to win in a pandemic because in a match you just think about the game and you want to give your best. [During the pandemic] I used to train at home. My dad used to keep a track of all my exercises and my trainer used to give a schedule. I have BAI to thank as they helped us in whichever way we wanted it. They were always there.”
Lastly, dedicating her win to her family, Sindhu said:
"This medal is dedicated to a lot of people – Fans, family, friends and my coach. Everyone has put in a lot of effort and it has been a long journey since 2016.”
An incredible performance from a champion athlete saw India claim their second medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. For Sindhu, it is a moment to savour for the whole nation.
She joins an elite club of 4 female badminton players to win medals at successive Olympics. PV Sindhu has shown that she belongs to the premium level of badminton players, and has earned the right to stay there.
Also read - India at Olympics 2021
