Melbourne: India's badminton player Saina Nehwal, chosen over national champ Aparna Popat for the knock-out rounds at the Games, paid back coach Vimal Kumar by beating the defending gold and silver medallists of the last Games on Sunday.
The 16-year-old defeated champion and world No. 9 Li Li of Singapore in the quarter-final before beating Englishwoman Tracey Hallam in the semis.
Her gallant performance, however, could not put India into the gold medal tie as a stronger English team doused Indian challenge 3-2 to reach the mixed team event final.
India, who lost 0-5 to England in their last preliminary league match on Saturday, were a team transformed on Sunday led by the 16-year-old starlet.
Aparna was Vimal Kumar's choice for the singles in the league stage but it was Saina who brought cheers to the Indian camp despite the eventual loss.
Saina is the reigning junior and sub-junior national champion and lost to Popat in the national finals.
But she managed to beat the nine-time champion at the Asian Satellite championship.
There was much controversy regarding Popat's inclusion in the squad for the Commonwealth Games. She originally cited an injury, but was later pursuaded to join the team for the Games.
But the whole episode left a sour taste in the mouth in the lead up to the Games.
Saina's sterling performance at Melbourne can be construed as a metaphorical passing of the baton from Popat to the younger shuttler.
Comments
0 comment