Indian badminton stalwart Ashwini Ponnappa bid an emotional farewell to the Olympic stage after her early exit at the Paris 2024 Games. Partnering with Tanisha Crasto in the women’s doubles competition, Ashwini faced her third consecutive loss, leaving her in tears.
Ashwini Ponnappa’s last game at the Olympics
Ashwini and Tanisha battled against Australia’s Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu. Despite their efforts, they lost the match 15-21, 10-21, marking the end of their campaign. They had previously lost all three group matches. Ashwini, competing in her third Olympics, struggled to hold back tears as she reflected on her decision.
Ashwini’s badminton journey was intertwined with her formidable doubles partner, Jwala Gutta. Together, they achieved historic milestones. Their medals include gold at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and bronze at the Uber Cup (2014 and 2016) and the Asian Championships (2014). In 2011, they made history by becoming the first Indian pair to win a medal—a bronze—at the World Championships.
When asked about the 2028 Los Angeles Games, Ashwini said, “This will be my last, but Tanisha has a long way to go.”
“It takes a toll emotionally and mentally, I can’t go through this again. It is not easy, you can take all these if you are a little younger. Having played for so long, I can’t take it anymore.” said the 34-year-old breaking into tears.
3 time Olympian Ashwini Ponnappa & 1st time Olympian Tanisha Crasto spoke to Savio de Noronha, Producer-Anchor, DD Sports at the Porte de la Chapelle Badminton Arena in Paris today.#Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/0CsmHFOCye
— Doordarshan Sports (@ddsportschannel) July 30, 2024
As Ashwini steps away from the Olympic spotlight, her legacy remains—an inspiration for aspiring athletes and a testament to the resilience required to compete at the highest level.
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