India’s badminton star PV Sindhu has broken the jinx, both personally as well as for India, to win the first ever gold medal for the country at the BWF world championships, crushing her opponent in a lop-sided contest in Basel, Switzerland.
Sindhu beat Japan’s Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7 in just 36 minutes to avenge her 2017 defeat when the world No 4 Okuhara edged past the Indian shuttler in a pulsating 110-minute final. Sindhu again reached the World Championships final last year but lost to Spaniard Carolina Marin.
This time, however, Sindhu dominated the contest right from the word 'go' to register a comprehensive win.
She said she had been expecting this victory for a long time.
“I have no words to express, because I have been waiting for so long. Last time, it was silver, before that it was silver and finally I am a world champion so I am really really happy,” Sindhu told reporters.
This is Sindhu’s fifth medal at the BWF World Championships – a record tally jointly shared with China’s Zhang Ning. Sindhu won two silvers during her last two outings and two bronze before that.
Win a birthday present for mother
PV Sindhu credited her coaches for the performance and dedicated the win to her mother.
“A lot of credit to my coaches, Gopi Sir and Kim (Ji Hyun) and also to my parents, my support staff and sponsors who believed in me,” she said.
“I dedicate this win to my mom, it's her birthday today. I thought I will gift her something and finally I gift her this gold medal. It is because of my parents that I am here today.”
As soon as Sindhu accomplished the feat, sportspersons, politicians, Bollywood actors, who's who of corporate India and many more took to social media to congratulate her.
She has also won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, silver at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, a silver in the Asian Games in Jakarta and BWF World Tour Finals last year.
While Sindhu has become the first Indian to be crowned the world champion in the sport, compatriot Praneeth ended a 36-year wait after Prakash Padukone’s feat to secure a bronze for the country in men’s singles.
Badminton Association of India on Sunday announced a cash reward for PV Sindhu and Sai Praneeth for their historic feats in the World Championships.
