Despite losing an opportunity to win gold in Rio de Janerio, PV Sindhu on Friday scripted history by becoming the first shuttler to hand India an Olympic silver medal here on Friday.
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“I offer my heartiest congratulations to PV Sindhu and Sakshi Malik for their brilliant efforts at the Olympic games”.
Rio de Janeiro: Carolina Marin overhauled a fearless P. V. Sindhu in the women’s singles final on Friday to win Spain’s first badminton title and crush India’s hopes of a maiden gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
“Gopi”, as he is fondly called, reminisced that he told Sindhu to soak in the moment that she has claimed the silver – and not get crestfallen by the defeat in the title clash. The World No.1 has finally managed to breach the firm resistance of Sindhu and won the Gold Medal for her country. She displayed grace and class as she went over to Marin’s side of the court after the match to hug her opponent and lift the 23-year-old who has been dubbed the “Girl Nadal in Spain”. “I am sure, in the coming years, Sindhu will perform better and go on to bring more laurels”.
Despite finishing a notch higher with a silver medal at the Olympics as compared to her senior colleague Saina Nehwal, who had bagged a bronze at the 2012 London Games, Sindhu stayed grounded and said, “It’s a different comparison. She is a real champion and I am proud of her”.
World number one Marin wins maiden Olympic gold in badminton final; Sindhu first Indian woman to take Olympic silver. She has also achieved a lot, and is senior to me.
The women’s bronze medal match was not played as Li Xuerui of China gave a walkover to Nozomi Okuhara of Japan, owing to a leg injury. Prior to her, neither any man nor any woman player was able to get India a silver medal in Badminton.
“I fought really hard and played my heart out”. Sindhu though kept herself within a touching distance of Carolina at 14-16.
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Sindhu showed awesome spirit against the two-time defending world champion in the first game. The kind of sacrifices she has made without complaining is fantastic.
