PV Sindhu is on the threshold of a unique hattrick in Indian sports. The star shuttler is eyeing her third successive Olympic medal going into the Paris Olympics.
Focussing on her preparations in faraway Germany, Sindhu is determined to change the colour of the medal at the Paris Olympics.
Apart from veteran wrestler Sushil Kumar, Sindhu is the only other Indian athlete to win medals at two consecutive Olympics. She is also the only female sportsperson from India to achieve the feat.
The 28-year-old from Hyderabad had taken the silver medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 before bagging bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. She is now aiming for a new landmark in her career by winning gold in the French capital.
“Winning my third Olympic medal is not unattainable. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge from my recent mistakes. I have to put all into it. You must be intelligent and put forth a lot of effort. It seems like (I’m) making progress. Although I’m not arrogant, I do think I’ve grown and am hope to take home another medal,” Sindhu said.
“Each and every game is crucial and I don’t want to focus only on winning a medal. I will have to play at my best for sure,” she added.
The 28-year-old shuttler is presently undergoing training at the Hermann-Neuberger Sportschule located in Saarbrucken, Germany. She is expected to directly fly to Paris from her training location in Germany once the Olympic Games start on July 26.
The buildup to the quadrennial showpiece hasn’t been smooth for the World No. 12 Indian as she has struggled to register consistent victories against top-ranked players. But despite the challenges, she managed to finish runner-up in the Malaysia Masters Super 500 tournament.
“It took me some time to come back (from injury) and I feel I feel that now I’m doing well. Coming to the finals is not an easy thing. And, finishing matches, not finishing matches, it depends on how we play.”
“I have learnt to be a lot more patient, especially from the Asian circuit before this Olympics. There would be no more short duration matches, no more expectation of easy points and no match being considered over, despite having a big lead, till the match is actually won,” she explained.
“Olympics is a different kind of challenge, though it gives you more time to prepare unlike other major Super Series events. I am conscious of the fact that I can do much better. It is not that I am not able to finish off matches. Yes, you lose matches despite what looks like winning leads and sometimes you end up winning despite trailing. So, my focus will be consistency,” she said on her recent indifferent form.
Deep inside, Sindhu is well aware of the fact that all eyes will be on her when she begins her Olympic campaign, and thus she needs to smartly devise her strategy accordingly. She hopes to take the positives from her previous Olympic campaigns when she lands in Paris.
“Obviously, I can’t do what I did in those two editions. I know all eyes will be on me. (I) need to be smarter. I should know that it is not going to be any easy matches for sure. But the big plus is I have the experience on my side and I am really patient enough now for the big challenges,” she said.
“The game has changed a lot now. (There are) more rallies now with emphasis on strong defence. So every player is very strong, mentally and physically prepared for those long matches,” she added.
On being asked if she has prepared a rough plan on how to tackle different opponents, Sindhu said, “Every day might not be your day. So, I have to give my best against every opponent, and not take it easy. The styles and strategies for each player will be different. Since we have time, we prepare better. I am experienced, mentally and physically stronger now.”
Sindhu also expressed her gratitude to legendary shuttler and her current coach Prakash Padukone for his constructive feedbacks and inputs on the technical aspects of her game.
“Prakash sir has been watching my matches, and provided valuable inputs if he spots any shortcomings. He wants me to cut down on unforced errors, keep the shuttle in the court and play freely,” Sindhu said as she eyes overall improvement rather than working on a few areas in her hunt for a third straight Olympic medal.
