Saina Nehwal was calm, confident and eloquent.
She tried to be honest in portraying her mind at the moment of triumph, after fate had thrust an Olympic medal on her, without waiting for the match to finish.
Fortune favours the brave and Saina had single-handedly put the fear in the minds of the Chinese. She had worked very hard for the Olympic medal, and her name has been written on one for all her efforts.
“I still can’t believe it that I have won an Olympic medal. I couldn’t believe that an Indian couldn’t win an Olympic medal in badminton. We had worked very hard for it, and it feels great. I am happy to get a bronze medal in the Olympics,” gushed Saina when posed the introductory question during the press conference.
Dream goes sour
Saina admitted that she was quite disappointed after losing the semifinals, which she said was owing to a wrong strategy, and revealed that she had dreamt of playing in the Olympic final.
“I was still thinking about yesterday’s match. It was still playing in my mind. When the opponent fell today, I thought that she was trying to get a break. I was confident that I was coming back into the match,” said Saina.
“I was feeling it that she was tired. She was coming for water break. I thought that it was another ploy. It was really sad that she got injured,” said Saina.
The 22-year-old Indian said that she had never won a match like that in all her life, ever since she started playing the game as a nine-year-old, and felt that she was perhaps destined to win an Olympic medal that way.
“I was in too much of a hurry. She was tired. Yesterday also we had the same strategy to have long rallies, but it didn’t work,” said Saina.
“I knew that I would get a medal, but not this way. I wanted to win in a good way. Still can’t believe that I did it for Indian badminton in the Olympics,” said Saina.
Lucky
“I was lucky today. A medal was written for me. I was confident that I will pull it out. In the second game, she came with a different strategy, to finish points quickly, and she fell,” said Saina, even as she disclosed that she had a good night’s sleep on Friday, after losing to a tough opponent.
‘’I couldn’t sleep before the semifinal. My ambition to play the Olympic final didn’t happen. I was not worried about today’s match,” she stressed.
“Training next day will be my way of celebration,” Saina shot back when queried about the celebration of the medal.
“I am very very happy,” said Saina as she recalled her conversation with her dad on television after the match that she couldn’t get the gold for him, but got the bronze at least.
“The Olympic medal, and the Indian flag will go up. It is great. I will have all the chocolates and will not worry about adding weight for some time.” Saina said that she was confident that a lot of girls would take up the game, as the Indian boys were already at it, and hoped that the Olympic medal would trigger a revolution among the girls in Indian badminton.
“We should have more girls like the Koreans and the Chinese. Then you can have better results,” she said.
Scared of me
She admitted that it would still be Saina versus China for some more time, and remarked that she was more confident of playing them after getting about half a dozen victories over them this season.
“They are scared of me. Of course, I need to be fit and have to work more on my rallies and be ready for long matches,” she admitted.
Keywords: Saina Nehwal, 2012 London Olympics, India in London
Execellent Saina !!! You really deserve it. We are hope ful for your future and expect future gold in olympics..
Simply great..As a girl, it needs to have a winning attitude towards life..Keep it up.!!!
You made all Indians (in India and overseas) proud. Good bless you and let there be more successes in your life.
“We should have more girls like the Koreans and the Chinese. Then you can have better results,” she said.
So even you admitted that the Chinese and Korean are better. You didn't win. Your bronze medal is nothing to be proud of. It's just pure luck.
You made entire nation proud and its an inspiration to every sports person and sports fan. Wish to see you biting the gold in next olympics.
I hope Saina really goes for the gold in Rio with a do or die spirit. That is why Chinese win because they think of themselves as the best and works for it to prove it!
Superb!!! You are the jewel in the crown of India. Why is it that entire India had hopes only in you for a gold medal, however; you alone were fighting the mighty Chinese and you were rewarded for the extreme hard work and sacrifice that you have put in. Be assured you have an Olympic gold for sure and maybe more golds. India loves you for the fighter you are to keep India's name high.
God bless you mightily.
what the scare Saina mentioned? China made a clean sweep in badminton. It is their bad luck which prevented their star from completing the second game.Injuries are common in sports. Beside that, it is only a bronze China missed. Nothing makes China belittled for this negligible medal. Let us start working wonders rather than outbursting.
I am 50 years of age now. Lot of paper , ink and space were wasted in debating Indian demise in sports. Who will listen? I saw many a papers publishing pages and pages about Indian sports persons winning bronge and silver medals. For country with a large population of around 100 crores , it is not possible to score a handful of gold medals in any Olympic games. It is a pity and shameful also. But the leaders at high level governments never think of this nation but for their positions and chairs. We, Indians want to talk more but try less to achieve something. That is the main problem. We waste our valuable time in witnessing TV serials, studying useless material in local and national papers, discussing about dirty politics of catse and region. This trend has benn continuing since a long long time and still unstoppable. Every time, when Olympics are cpming up , we discuss medal probables of one or two persons. There is no improvement from this phenomena, sine a long time. Shame to us;
Although Sania is no doubt a good player but i hardly think that she deserved the bronze. Judging by the match the Chinese would have easily won. The fact that she took the first point in the second set after being injured is a testament that she would have brushed Sania aside just like what her compatriot did to Sania in the semis. Hard luck.
Hearty congratulation. While we are very proud of you, there is time
for the gold. Now that you have exhibited the immense talent in the
largest arena, there is the pros and cons that comes along with the
glory. If the Chinese are fast, we have another 4 years to catch up.
We are not second to any one. Sports is something that should go hand
in hand with education. Unfortunately, investment is not forthcoming
so that the Indian flag flutters in every podium. We have the talent,
but need the infrastructures to bring them to the spot light. India
has Hussein Bolt, Serena Williams, Michael Phelps and many other stars
who bring glory to their country. Unfortunately, there is no
development in the human resource, as they are wallowing in a system
of prejudice and caste system. Even our national game has plummeted to
the lowest level. India must compete herself with the elites of the
globe not with the next door neighbors. We are emotionally down, to
watch our hockey team looses every match.
Kudos Saina, Way to go! Liked your comment 'They are scared of me.' Glad to feel the confidence in you. Wish you many more successful feats and do us proud!
congratulation Saina you make whole nation pride.
Saina, Congratulations. Every Indian will be proud of you. Learn all the
nuances of the game under a top International Coach,perfect the game
through intense practice and win the GOLD in the next Olympics. Union
Ministry of Sports should pay all the expenses in coaching her for the
next Olympics.Best Wishes.
Excellent saina
Congratulations saina.we are proud of you.
Saina Nehwal is a raising star to India. This is a great victory to her in the London Olympics. Her ambition to win in the Olympics came true. With dedication and hardwork, she got the medal. Though she was defeated in semi-finals, she fought for the medal. Her achievement in the game is not fulfilled in the first set. But she is more confident in the remaining two games and certainly she would have won in the remaining two sets with her performance. Hats off to Saina Nehwal. She has created a history in the shuttle badminton.
Great!Has put India in the badminton map of the world to make every Indian proud.Hope we will be able to produce many more Saina'sin the future.
What an achievement after years of practice and dedication to game whichever her
deserving Olympic bronze.
Wishing her many more winning medals in coming years in international badminton game.
I wish india produces such players in similar games ,tennis etc.
Congrats Saina the Jewel of India. I appreciciate your confidence and encouragement to lot
of Indian girls to play Badmiton . It is true that the opponents are scared of you It is really Great to get Olymbic Medal whether Gold or Bronze . Every Indian should feel proud of you .
You didn't win. You were gifted the medal due to an injury of the other girl. Prove your self in the World Badminton ranking to No.3 or in the next Olympics
Congrats to Saian for a well deserved medal; even if the chinese had NOT retired and played on, she would have lost and that's why the medal is still an earned medal. No question about it. Saina will
be around next olympics 4 years from now in Rio and she will be only 26 but with 10 years of experience and some of her strong rivals now who'd be retired by then, Saina can really improver her
next medal to a silver or gold.
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