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PV Sindhu, the multi-time Olympic medallist, is set to compete in her third straight Olympic Games in the women’s singles competition at the Paris 2024 after making it on the basis of her BWF ranking. The 29-year-old will be the Indian female flag-bearer at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games alongside the table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony on July 26, putting her name in the history books.
The former world champion has had a tough last 18 months on the BWF circuit before heading to Paris 2024 later this month. After playing a key role in India’s first-ever medal at the Badminton Asia Mixed Team Championships, a bronze in 2023, she reached the first final of last year at the Spain Masters, losing to Gregoria Mariska Tunjung in straight games.
The turbulent times in 2023 saw PV Sindhu exit from seven tournaments in the first round itself, apart from making four semi-finals as well. In October, she had to pull out of the French Open due to a knee injury, which put an abrupt end to her season.
After a short injury layoff, she made her return to the sport in February 2024 at the Badminton Asia Team Championships, leading the Indian women’s team to a gold medal, which was also a first-ever medal in this event. At the Malaysia Masters, she reached her first final of the 2024 season, losing to Wang Zhiyi in three games.
The experience of winning medals in the back-to-back Olympic Games will keep PV Sindhu in good stead in regard to competing well at the upcoming Paris 2024 despite her indifferent results in the past year or so. Although she has to bring her A game to the multi-sporting event later this month, to give herself the best possible chance of becoming the first Indian athlete to win three medals in three consecutive Olympic Games.
Irrespective of whether PV Sindhu wins a medal at the Paris 2024 or not, her legacy will be defined by how she took Indian badminton to greater heights in the last decade or so.
