Tokyo Olympics: Had told Sindhu to keep attacking, says father PV Ramana

By ANI

HYDERABAD: As ace shuttler PV Sindhu won a bronze medal at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, her father PV Ramana on Sunday said he is impressed with the way her daughter kept on attacking in the bronze medal match.

Sindhu on Sunday became the first Indian woman to win two Olympic medals. Sindhu defeated China’s He Bing Jiao in the bronze medal match of the ongoing Tokyo Olympics here at the Musashino Forest Plaza Court 1.

“I want to thank the Government of India, Sports Authority of India and I am grateful to them for giving her the encouragement. I am happy that she has won a medal for the country. Playing the bronze medal match can be painful, yesterday I motivated her a lot, thank God, with the blessings of everyone, she has brought a medal. I am happy that she is the first Indian woman to win two consecutive medals at the Olympics. She has brought name and fame to the country,” Sindhu’s father Ramana told reporters here at a press conference.

“Yesterday, I told her that you have given your best, just think you are giving me a gift and play on the court. She had tears in her eyes, good that she has recovered and come back. Overall, she was very aggressive on the court, I just told her to keep attacking,” he added.

Sindhu’s father also revealed that Sindhu would be coming to Delhi on August 3 and he plans to go to the national capital to receive her daughter. “I told her that I’ll come to Delhi, I think she is coming to Delhi on August 3. Olympics is not a small event where you get a medal, a medal is a medal. I am happy with the way she has worked. I am confident she will play next Olympics also. We have to get as many medals to the country. Sindhu is focused and she has that hunger. She enjoys the game. Sindhu is 26, with age you get more experience. I have seen that in the entire Tokyo Olympics,” said Ramana.

Sindhu defeated Bing Jiao 21-13, 21-15 in the bronze medal match that lasted for 52 minutes. Sindhu had earlier returned with a silver medal at the Rio Olympics 2016.

The 26-year-old Sindhu is now just the second Indian athlete to win two individual Olympic medals. Wrestler Sushil Kumar also has two medals as he returned with a bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics 2008 and a silver at the London Olympics 2012.