Shuttler PV Sindhu and wrestler Sakshi Malik scripted a new chapter in Indian Olympic history with their unprecedented feats but the embattled Narsingh Yadav’s dreams lay in tatters after being slapped with a four-year doping ban on a bitter-sweet day for the country at the Rio Games here.
Advertisement
Calling the silver medal feat as “the most precious jewel in the crown of Mother India”, Sonia said: “Her silver medal is the most precious jewel in the crown of Mother India today and she has set examples for generation to come”. Sindhu took advantage of her height very well making the Japanese move around the court.
The game plan was in place.
Congratulating Sakshi, Sindhu said: “I did not meet her”. The victor of the match will play either China’s Chen Long or Viktor Axelsen of Denmark. The score became 9-6 before and Sindhu went into the first break ahead 11-6. She successfully increased the pace of the game in her attempt to unsettle the Indian.
The Hyderabadi got a taste of what her life will be from now on when she was pulled and prodded as she made her way through a throng of reporters desperate to hang on to every word coming out of her mouth. It was 19-18, 20-18 and 20-19 before Sindhu finally won the game 21-19.
Sindhu was a completely different player in the second. “Whenever she complained off too much of workload in a lighter vein, I used to gently tell her that her coach Gopi is doing it to get the best results, and then cracked a joke or two to keep the spirits high”, Lakshmi, who was the first Indian woman to play badminton at the Olympics, revealed. “It depends who gives her best and does well will win the final tomorrow”. “My opponent also played a good game”. A scoreline of 21-10 started the celebration amongst the large Indian gathering here. 10 from Hyderabad will next take on two-time World Champion and top seed Carolina Marin of Spain in the summit clash on Friday.
Unperturbed by the pressure of the occasion and her towering opponent, Sindhu controlled her nerves and displayed swift court movements and hit bodyline smashes to diminish the lead to 13-15. Ramna said that with Sindhu’s historic win, the dream of Gopichand had come true. “I’m going to play my heart out”, Sindhu reacted to the champion shooter’s tweet.
Advertisement
Lee, who served an eight month doping ban, will have to overcome China’s Chen Long, who ran over Viktor Axelsen of Denmark 2-0 in Friday’s other men’s semifinal.
