Indian badminton legend and coach Prakash Padukone believes that PV Sindhu holds a significant advantage as she heads to the Paris Olympics 2024. PV Sindhu is the only Indian badminton player to have won two Olympic medals. Her silver medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 and bronze at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 showcase her exceptional performance on the global stage.
Prakash Padukone backs PV Sindhu
Sindhu’s extensive experience in international tournaments, combined with her Olympic success, positions her well. Despite recent challenges, including injuries, she remains determined to clinch a record hat-trick of medals for India.
Padukone acknowledges that Sindhu’s recent form might reduce the pressure on her. Expectations are lower, and even reaching the quarter-finals would be seen positively. However, he looks beyond that, emphasizing that if Sindhu reproduces her practice form, she can outperform her past tournaments.
“She has not been at her best recently, this might reduce the pressure on her. Expectations are lower, and even reaching the quarter-finals will be seen positively. But I am looking beyond that. If she is able to reproduce the form, like what she’s doing in practice, I think she’ll do better than in the past tournaments. The difference at the top is so little, and it is also about handling pressure in the Olympics, and Sindhu has an advantage as she has won two Olympic medals. We keep reminding her to focus on her game, and the end result will be good,” Padukone said.
The difference at the top level is minimal, and handling pressure in the Olympics is crucial. Sindhu’s advantage lies in her two Olympic medals, which provide her with valuable experience and mental strength.
Padukone reveals that they are working on tactics, strategy, and mental aspects during Sindhu’s training. Identifying weaknesses and maximizing her strengths will be key to her performance in Paris.
“We have a chance to win medals in all three events!” 🏅
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“I am focusing on tactics and strategy on the court, on what strokes to use when, and a little to do with the mind. About nine months ago, she was little low on confidence due to frequent coaching changes and not being able to identify what was going wrong. We’ve worked on her mental strength and strategy, ensuring she makes better use of the right strokes. We’ve tried to cut down on mistakes and playing percentage badminton — knowing when to attack, defend, and play safe. So it is finally all coming through, but it remains to be seen if she can reproduce that form during the Olympics,” Padukone said.
Also Read: Tough Draws for Sumit Nagal and Bopanna-Balaji in the Paris Olympics
