PV Sindhu's CWG Birmingham bout ends on a golden note

HYDERABAD:  It rained gold, silver and bronze at the Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022. Hyderabad’s P V Sindhu shone bright as one among those who bagged a gold medal among the 22 gold medallists. She faced, fought and won over tough competition and now she speaks to CE about achieving the impossible.  

The humble ace badminton player expressed her elation over the victory and says, “Definitely, this is a big win and I am content. I can finally say that I completed the sequence. It was a much waited win!” Speaking about her opponents, she says, “It was an extremely competitive match and comparatively this year saw some great players from Malaysia and Singapore. Each match was important.”

The win was never a cakewalk for Sindhu and sharing what kept her motivated throughout, she says, “I took every match to be as important as the final — each win kept me motivated throughout. Of course the crowd has been fantastic and motivated me a lot — they gave me the much-needed strength and support to do much better in the game.”

It’s never a one-day event in a sportsperson’s life and Sindhu is no different. She opens up about her fitness routine that she maintained to the ‘T’ as she prepped for the Commonwealth Games: “Fitness is one of the important aspects for a sportsperson and it is as vital as preparing for the actual game. Back-to-back practices and games can derail any person if they’re not physically fit.”

Sindhu’s story is not one without challenges, both on and off court and she accepts it all with elan. “Every match and practice is challenging because there’s no one way to score easy points but it’s all part and parcel of what we do,” says she.

Ahead of the Commonwealth Games, Sindhu visited Hyderabad’s popular Lal Darwaja temple and she says that apart from her form, practice and performance, God’s blessings mean a big deal to her. “Well, I do visit the temple during Bonalu every year and this time was no different. It has been the norm since a while now and it means a great deal to me,” she shares.  Before she leaves, if there’s one thing she would advise budding players, she says, “Belief in yourself is very important. This, coupled with practice for years — not just a day or month, so keep at it, no matter what.”