Indian shuttler Saina Nehawal won India its third medal at London
Olympics 2012 after she clinched a bronze in women's singles badminton
event played at Wembley Arena on 4 August 2012. Saina bagged the bronze
after her Chinese opponent Xin Wang conceded the match due to a knee
injury. Xin Wang was one game point ahead of Saina when she decided to
quit the game due to the unbearable pain. Chinese shuttlers Li Xuerui
and Wang Yihan won the gold and silver medals respectively.
Saina’s bronze marked India’s third medal at London Olympics 2012 and
twelfth individual medal in the history of modern oympics. The previous
two medals came in shooting events. While Gagan Narang won India its
first bronze in the London Olympics on 30 July 2012, Vijay Kumar
clinched silver on 3 August 2012. With this victory, Saina became the
second Indian woman after Karanam Malleshwari to win a medal in the
history of olympics. Karnam Malleshwari had earned India a bronze in
weight lifting event in 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Born in Hisar, Haryana on 17 March 1990, Saina Nehwal turned a
professional shuttler in 2006. Year 2008 saw her winning the World
Junior Badminton Championships. In 2008 Beijing Olympics she had reached
the quarter-finals round becoming the first Indian woman to reach the
quarter finals in the Olympic Games. In year 2009, she won the Indonesia
Open Title, becoming the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series title.
Saina’s career best ranking came in 2010 when she rose to world number
two position.
Former Indonesian badminton great Atil Jauhari is the present coach
of Saina while, national coach Pullela Gopichand is her mentor.
Saina was awarded with the Arjuna Award in 2009 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel
Ratna Award, the highest award given to a sportsperson in the country,
in year 2010. The government of India also conferred Padm Shree, the
fourth highest civilian award in India, upon her in 2010.
Saina Nehwal’s Medal Tally
2008: BWF World Junior Championships (Gold)
2009: Indonesia Super Series (Gold)
2009: Indian Open Grand Prix (Gold)
2010: Badminton Asia Championships (Bronze)
2010: Indian Open Grand Prix (Gold)
2010: Singapore Open Super Series (Gold)
2010: Indonesia Open Super Series (Gold)
2010: Commonwealth Games (Gold)
2010: Hong Kong Super Series (Gold)
2011: Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold (Gold)
2011: Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold (Silver)
2011: Indonesia Open Super Series Premier (Silver)
2012: Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold (Gold)
