Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'P V Sindhu sets an example' that was published in Newsband

P V Sindhu sets an example

In the gold medal badminton match at the Olympics, P.V. Sindhu was expected to give it her all. And she did. She occupied the court as someone meant to be counted in a match till it finally slipped away. She has made history for India by winning a silver medal.

Chief national coach Pullela Gopi Chand, who has overseen Sindhu’s game since she was eight, has often said that once she adds power to her strokes, she could be expected to realise her true potential. That she did so is a tribute too to the mentoring he has provided.

With Saina crashing out in first round because of injury, hope of any medal in badminton died. But P V Sindhu fought back to get the medal that India certainly deserved. This is really high time for badminton in India. And whole nation salute coach Gopichand who made this possible.

It was an absorbing title clash that was worthy of the biggest sports spectacle in the universe. However, Sindhu remains the toast of the nation for the fabulous manner she reached this stage and for going down with guns blazing. It was a tad unfortunate that she lost the script midway through the second game after having pocketed the first against the reigning world champion Carolina Marin with whom she now has a 3-5 record in head-to-head showdowns. After all, the world number 10 lost to the numero uno and that too after giving her best shot at the yellow metal.

It is a matter of great pride for all the Indians that a few sportspersons like Sakshi Malik and P V Sindhu of the Indian Olympic squad have excelled and earned medals for the country, while others like Deepa Karmaker have put up an exalted performance, only to lose the medal by a narrow margin.

But if you try to see the reality, it is found that the present day Olympics is a show dominated by the rich nations and their well trained and groomed amateur and professional athletes. Populous developing countries like India cannot compete with the rich countries in terms of infrastructure, physique or technology. Most young people here are struggling to be economically viable and have neither the time for the competitive sports nor the means to participate in the Olympics.

Anyway, it is never about winning or losing at the Olympics, it is just about giving your personal best every time when you represent your country, and the medals automatically pour, and that's what Sindhu exactly did. A true champion, she achieved a lot, capable of achieving further lot. Hats off to Sir Gopichand for being the pioneer.

Other sportspersons should learn from this young girl!