New Delhi. The sixth day of Paris Olympics 2024 was of mixed emotions for Indians. While shooter Swapnil Kusale made India proud by winning the third medal, star shuttler PV Sindhu’s journey ended in the Round of 16 itself. Sindhu was defeated by China’s sixth seed He Bingjiao in straight sets 21-19, 21-14. This is the first Olympics in which Sindhu was eliminated without winning a medal. Earlier, she won silver at Rio 2016 and bronze at Tokyo 2020. PV Sindhu started the first set well and the match was tough. But Bingjiao soon took the lead. Sindhu equalized 12-12 and then 19-19, but in the end Bingjiao won the first set 21-19. Sindhu tried to make a comeback in the second set as well, but Xiao maintained her dominance and won the set 21-14.
After the defeat, PV Sindhu expressed her disappointment. She said, “It is disappointing… one will win and one will lose, and today I lost. I should have controlled my mistakes… especially in the second game I felt this way. It is sad that I could not convert it into a win. At one point in the first game, the score was 19-19.”
Sindhu’s defeat is a big blow for Indian badminton lovers. Sindhu, who made the country proud by winning medals in the last two Olympics, missed a hat-trick of medals this time. Her journey in the Olympics was disappointing for her fans, but her hard work and dedication should be appreciated.
