At around 8.30 p.m. all of India held their collective breath in anticipation and nervous excitement. Sindhu had won the first game against World Number one Carolina Marin 21 – 19! Would she create history? Win the first Olympic Gold for Badminton for the country?
It did not happen, but we all saw how a spirited Pusarala Venkata Sindhu went down fighting magnificently to world no. 1 Carolina Marin of Spain, 21-19, 12-21, 15-21 in the women’s singles badminton finals at the Rio Olympics on Friday.
Sindhu won the opening game against Carolina Marin 21-19 after trailing 6-11 to stage a superb comeback. However, Marin the world champion proved her mettle and breezed through the second game 21-12 to level the match at 1-1.
Sindhu, playing the match of her life and vying to become only the second individual gold-medallist in India’s Olympic history to join Abhinav Bindra’s feat in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, gave a tough fight to the Spaniard but came out second best against the left-hander.
The girl everyone is now praising for her ‘fighting spirit’ also proved her sportsmanship and humility when she walked to the other side of the court to lift up her opponent – who was lying prone overcome with emotion – and gave her a warm congratulatory hug. Afterwards when Marin walked off the court leaving her racket on the ground, Sindhu picked it up and put it in a proper place. This gesture was worth a thousand golds and did not go unnoticed by many observers.
Move over Sachin – India has a new Sporting Star!!!
