Badminton News: HS Prannoy, bronze medalist at the World Championships held in Copenhagen some time ago, recounted his journey which he described as “upside down” and strewn with injuries. He explained that the first years were very difficult and the transition to senior competition was very difficult.
“At that time, I had a lot of injuries. But it taught me to work (on the pitch) and to work off the pitch. I understand that body management is key. I’m happy things are going well now,” Prannoy said during a panel titled “Perseverance and Sport” in Telangana on Thursday.
HS Prannoy coach Pullela Gopichand praised the player for his ability to endure pain and fight through adversity.
“The way he fought the physical pain was amazing. I just hope people can understand my feelings and write them accurately. When I looked at him, I saw someone in pain, but still struggling with all their might. I have never seen an athlete carry such a weight. I hope he continues to do so for a long time,” Gopichand said.
Over the past two years, HS Prannoy has achieved a series of extraordinary results, including his crucial victory which saw India win the Thomas Cup in 2021. Prannoy considers this period to be the best for India, which is the result of a decade. efforts dedicated to sport.
“The last decade has been extraordinary. We have won many victories and have consistently raised the bar. Winning less than a Super 750 tournament is no longer considered worthwhile. It has become a new normal for us. At first it was the women’s team, but now the men’s team has become the benchmark,” he said.
“Singles and doubles players Chirag and Satwik all contributed to this achievement. I am satisfied with the positive changes that have occurred. Winning the Thomas Cup was an important step that we hadn’t anticipated. But it’s the result of 10 years of hard work and dedication. We were able to put together a team worthy of being crowned world champions.
The 31-year-old hopes to replicate his form at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, which will feature a similar men’s team at the Thomas Cup.
Gopichand also hailed the team spirit that ended India’s long badminton streak which started with a failure at the Commonwealth Games.
“It’s amazing to have people like Prannoy. Some of these seniors have become the anchor of the team. You need someone to tell you this is our team and everyone respects that. This team does that. Srikanth plays the lead role, and then you have young players like Lakshya Sen. (In) 1994, the Indian team was not sent to the Commonwealth because we weren’t in the top six in any category,” he said.
Article tags: HS Prannoy, Pullela Gopichand, India
