NEW DELHI: Shuttler PV Sindhu created history on Sunday as she became the only Indian woman athlete to win two Olympic medals. And chief coach of the Indian badminton team Pullela Gopichand not just congratulated her, but also expressed satisfaction that badminton players have now won medals in three successive editions of the Games.
"Congrats to our awesome Sindhu on her 2nd successive Olympics medal. While it is all due to the hard work by her and the team of coaches and support staff, I also want to express my gratitude to the support of the Sports Ministry, Indian Government, SAI and BAI. Also want to thank the Govt of Telangana. Great to see badminton win medals in three successive Games," he said as per BAI.
Sindhu's mother PV Vijaya said the shuttler was disappointed after losing the semi-final, but it was impressive to see how she bounced back in the bronze medal match.
Sindhu defeated China's He Bing Jiao in the bronze medal match at the Musashino Forest Plaza Court 1. "I am feeling very happy, in Rio she got silver and this time it is bronze. We are very happy. We have plans, we will celebrate nicely. Yesterday, she was a little upset, we told her to relax and play the bronze medal match to her potential," Sindhu's mother Vijaya told ANI.
Sindhu defeated Bing Jiao 21-13, 21-15 in the bronze medal match that lasted for 52 minutes. Sindhu had earlier returned with a silver medal at the Rio Olympics 2016.
"I am extremely happy, two medals in two Olympics, it is not an easy task for any player. To maintain the fitness and come up to the expectations of a nation, I am thankful to the Government of India and all the officials. I just told her yesterday to do hard work and keep on marching ahead. I told her how she can create history by winning bronze. I just told her to take it as a gift for me," said Sindhu's father PV Ramana.
