This bronze tougher than silver at Rio, says PV Sindhu after historic win

Sometimes, even bronze shines like gold.

India’s top badminton payer PV Sindhu has won the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, beating China’s He Bing Jao 21-13 21-15 in the third-place playoff.

Losing to World No.1 Tai Tzu Ying in the semi-final may have shattered Sindhu, one of India’s gold medal hopes, but she came back in style to beat Bing Jao, another top player who has beaten her nine times in the last 15 meetings.

After the win, PV Sindhu said the Tokyo edition was tougher than Rio Olympics where she won silver.

Also read: Are we still minnows on the world stage?

The 26-year-old reigning World champion was just too good for the Chinese as she added to the silver she won at the 2016 Rio Games. By this win, Sindhu has become the first Indian woman to win two individual Olympic medals. Sushil Kumar is the only Indian to have taken home successive medals at the Games twice.

“It makes me feel really happy because I’ve worked hard for so many years. I had a lot of emotions going through me: Should I be happy that I won bronze or sad that I .lost the opportunity to play in the final? But overall, I had to close off my emotions for this one match and give it my best, my all and think about the emotions. I’m really happy and I think I’ve done really well. It’s a proud moment getting a medal for my country,” Sindhu told BWF in post-match interaction.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated PV Sindhu through a tweet.

Earlier, men’s singles player B Sai Praneeth and the men’s doubles pair of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy failed to qualify for the knock-out stage.

Tokyo Games has been disappointing for India so far. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has already returned home after winning silver, while boxer Lovlina Borgohain is assured of at least a bronze.