Paris Olympics: High hopes from PV Sindhu and Rest of Badminton Pack; Eyes on Medals for Fourth Consecutive Games

Add as a preferred source on Google

It is amazing, how a seemingly delicate 'shuttle' made of feathers, weighing between 4.75gm to 5.5gms, can produce so much delight on a badminton court. As the countdown for the Paris 2024 Olympics reaches a crescendo, starting July 26, badminton is one sport which will grab eyeballs.

The Summer Olympics is about tradition, plus how each sport is fighting for its own survival. As custodians of a big property called the Olympics, the IOC (International Olympic Committee), headed by President Thomas Bach, has to constantly evaluate which sport is relevant. Of course, Bach has many teams to assist him, with the headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, working assiduously.

Badminton and India have a romantic relationship since the time a certain Prakash Padukone won the All England Badminton title in 1980. Many years later, in 2001, Pullela Gopichand did an encore. Yet, if you ask the avid 'shuttle' fans in India, the first two names which will come readily to their minds are Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu.

As a medal sport at the Olympics, badminton made its debut as late as 1992 in Barcelona, Spain. Since then, arguably the fastest racquet sport in the Olympics programme has produced thrill and spill. Indeed, Saina Nehwal winning the bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics was path-breaking. Here was the unassuming and smiling Haryanvi girl who had embraced Hyderabad as her new home.

To be taken under the wings of Gopichand and win the first Olympic medal for India, Saina will always rank high up, historically. To say that she is a trendsetter would not be wrong, as Saina's Olympic medal led to a badminton movement of sorts in India. Badminton was popular in India, mostly outdoors.

For it to become a medal prospect and the mushrooming of more badminton academies (indoor) in India all over was a result of Saina's triumph. Saina has almost stopped playing badminton as a professional but her contribution can never be forgotten.

As India head to the Paris Olympics, the depth and variety in Indian badminton is massive. As a nation obsessed with medals, and more medals, badminton has answered many prayers of Indian sports fans. That is why PV Sindhu, now gunning for her third straight medal at the Olympics, is the cynosure.

From the highs of 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where, again, Gopichand piloted the Sindhu medal dream to now, Sindhu stays an emotional favourite. Sindhu may have moved on from Gopi Sir, but he continues to fire up many more shuttle stars.

A silver in Rio for Sindhu was going one shade better than Saina in London, in 2012. Yet, the journey of conquering the odds was in Tokyo, three years ago, when Sindhu won bronze. Dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic were not easy for an athlete to play sports in India and then compete at the highest level. Sindhu had prepared well, faced enormous hardships and won a bronze in Tokyo, with a new coach by her side, Korean, Park Tae-Sang.

This time, at her current training base in Germany, Sindhu is being guided by mentor Prakash Padukone and the cerebral but unassuming coach, Vimal Kumar. Don't ask why Sindhu keeps changing coaches, she does what suits her in the Olympic journey, with the dream of a third medal in a row at the Olympics a realistic one.

She did badly at the Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023, but from then to now, she is fitter and stronger. As for her mental resolve and killer instinct, Sindhu is a class act. Do not forget, Sindhu has dealt with injuries, and each time she bounces back like a yo-yo.

The badminton dream for India in Paris does not begin and end with Sindhu. This time, in singles, HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen, two players with different styles, will also go hammer and tong to showcase their hunger. Prannoy has been battling health issues, from a gut irritation to being laid low by the Chikungunya virus, recently. More than his form, it is fitness which will be important for him to do well in Paris.

Lakshya is still young, exuberant, a bit like a racehorse for the long run who should not be judged by his first Olympics appearance. His form has been up and down, but the good part, he is another protégé of Padukone and Vimal. The draw is tough for him, and, maybe, he could even run into Prannoy. However, projections at this stage may be premature.

The big deal, in Indian badminton, is Sat-Chi, as the deadly duo is known. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty are the hottest doubles pair with plenty of experience and wins under their belt. That the duo has peaked and shown consistency is important, which forces many to believe they are a medal prospect. For sheer variety, skills and the way the two tango, Sat-Chi, as they are known in short, bring high energy to doubles as an art form in badminton.

For the record, when Satwiksairaj smashed a shuttle during testing conditions at a Yonex shuttle factory last year, the speed registered was 565 kilometres per hour, later ratified by record books. That is approximately 200kmph faster than a Formula One car 'burning' tyre on a track. To watch anything like this from Satwiksairaj will be mind-blowing. The explosive energy of Sat-Chi is what has made fans fall in love with them, all over the world.

There is another doubles pair which has been quietly chipping away, Tanisha Crasto and seasoned Ashwini Ponnappa. Tanisha and Ashwini do not face as much pressure, like Sindhu or Sat-Chi, in Paris. How well the Indians will fare in Paris, and how high the 'shuttle' journey soars, fans will know in coming weeks!