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P V Sindhu, First Indian woman to have won Olympic Silver

By: Gobadminton desk
Date: 20 Feb, 2017
Image Courtesy: pbl

P. V. Sindhu became the first Indian contingent by winning Silver Medal in 2016 Rio Olympics. She encountered with top seed Carolina Marin from Spain and gave the match to the opponent by 21-19, 12-21, 15-21.

 

Throughout the match, the players gave aggressive screams on winning the point each time. In the first game, Sindhu took the lead from the first shot. She saved a few points from the wide shots of the opponent and maintained her lead till 16-11. Marin bounced back and scored 8 points till 16-19 deficit to eventually winding up the game to Sindhu by 21-19. In the opening game, there was the longest rally of 52 shots exchange at 16-17, which lasted for 49 seconds - more than a stroke per second.

 

The two-time world champion, Marin, took initiative in the second game and got a quick start. She turned the game towards her favour with an ease by 12-21. In the deciding game, Sindhu was little exhausted and couldnt maintain her spirit. Marin took the advantage and and drew a line towards the Gold by 15-21.

 

Throughout the game both the players played mind games. If not Sindhu, it is Marin. Sindhu gave high volume screams trying to distract Marin. It was 83-minute sapping encounter. Sindhu stayed in the game without rolling over, as Marins opponents have tended to, under her blistering attack of strokes and screams. Then, she stood on the podium, smiling politely, calm and poised. It was here that coach Gopichand, who joined the celebrations from the back of the crowd, standing on a chair, gestured the last of his instructions for the day bite into the medal, as is tradition. This was a medal that meant as much to him as it did to the shuttler.

 

Soon after P. V. Sindhu defeated Japan's Nozomi Okuhara by 21-19, 21-10 in the semis to reach the final of the women's singles event, celebrations already did start in India, as she assured us, at least, for Silver. It was the win for Sindhu as well, as she is the only women to have been won Silver at Olympics. And she is the second Indian woman after Saina Nehwal to bring the victory at the highest level. After the match point, both the top seeds shook hands with the chair umpire and the judges, crossed over to the other side of the net and walked up to Marins prone figure.

 

She gently tapped her shoulders and gave warm hugs. Well, that was the sweet gesture of gratitude. Even today, both the players are aggressive on the court, yet, very friendly off the court. To be honest, the Silver win by Sindhu is least expected as the player is somewhere between the impression of fresher and player to be least expected to reach finals. Definitely, her goal was and is to win Gold. P. V. Sindhu set benchmark to the youngsters, especially girls by daring the dream and achieving glory for the country. This glory couldnt be easy. It is the result executed by sacrificing the comforts, family times, basically every single fun that is supposed to have at this tender age. Her Olympic triumph was another turning point in the badminton history.

 

The sport spread all over the country like a virus. The following day of her win, parents with their young kids over flooded at Pullela Gopichand Badminton Academy, where Sindhu opting her training. Joe Torre, the former top Baseball player said, Competing at the highest level is not about winning. It is about the preparation, courage, understanding and nurturing your people, and heart. Winning is the result. And that what exactly happens with every dedicated top-notch player.


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