New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu shared a heartfelt note on social media, reflecting on her defeat in the women’s singles Round of 16 at the Paris Olympics. Sindhu addressed her future in the sport, reassuring fans that she will continue to play badminton, but only after taking a ‘much-needed’ break.
For the first time in her career, PV Sindhu will return from the Olympic Games without a medal. The Rio Olympic silver medallist and Tokyo bronze medallist was eliminated in the pre-quarterfinals on Thursday, August 1, by China’s He Bingjiao.
“Paris 2024: A Beautiful Journey but a Difficult Loss. This loss is one of the hardest of my career. It will take time to accept, but as life moves forward, I know I will come to terms with it,” Sindhu wrote in her post on X, formerly Twitter.
“The journey to Paris 2024 was a battle, marked by two years of injuries and long periods away from the game. Despite these challenges, standing here and representing my wonderful country at a third Olympics makes me feel truly blessed,” she added.
“I’m incredibly fortunate to compete at this level and, even more importantly, to inspire a generation. Your messages have been a tremendous source of comfort during this time. My team and I gave everything we had for Paris 2024, leaving it all on the court with no regrets.
“Regarding my future, I want to be clear: I will continue, albeit after a small break. My body, and more importantly, my mind need it. However, I plan to carefully evaluate the journey ahead, finding more joy in playing the sport I love so very much.”
Paris 2024: A Beautiful Journey but a Difficult Loss
This loss is one of the hardest of my career. It will take time to accept, but as life moves forward, I know I will come to terms with it.
The journey to Paris 2024 was a battle, marked by two years of injuries and long… pic.twitter.com/IKAKu0dOk5
— Pvsindhu (@Pvsindhu1) August 2, 2024
PV Sindhu performed well in the group stages, but He Bingjiao knocked the two-time Olympic medalist out in straight games in the Round of 16. Leading up to the Games, Sindhu was not in her best form, having not qualified for a tournament final in over a year until she broke the streak in Malaysia earlier this year.
Sindhu won gold at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games but suffered a knee injury later in 2022. She returned to competition in February 2023 but faced challenges with consistency on the tour. Injuries continued to trouble her even before the Games, leading her to carefully plan her stops.
While Sindhu hasn’t ruled out competing in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, she will be 33 by then—an age when most top shuttlers have passed their prime.
