Beijing loss still rankles Saina
Daily Excelsior
05:40 AM Aug 11, 2012 IST
New Delhi, Aug 10:Her bronze medal in the London Olympics has sent India into a state of frenzy, but her shocking quarterfinal defeat in her maiden appearance at the mega event in Beijing four years ago, still rankles shuttle queen Saina Nehwal.���� The 22-year-old Saina earned India its first Olympic medal in badminton when she clinched the bronze at the Wembley Arena in London last week.���� "I am very happy that I won a medal but I can't forget that match (Beijing). It is very diffficult to forget that because I could have reached the semifinals in my first attempt and I lost it. Losing in Beijing was dishearting, it was an easy match but I made it difficult," Saina told PTI today.���� Saina had lost in the quarterfinal of the Beijing Games despite enjoying an 11-3 lead against Indonesian Maria Kristin Yulianti. But she made up for that when she was adjudged winner after a knee injury forced world number two Xin Wang of China to forfeit her bronze medal play-off match.���� "I wanted to win an Olympic medal at the age of nine. I wanted the feeling of podium, the medal and finally when I got the medal round the neck, I was on the podium and everything was going like I wanted. It was extremely emotional. I started thinking about the last 13 years of my hard work and I started crying," she said.���� Asked if she is already thinking about the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Saina said: "Rio is still not in mind, four years is too far off. I am just thinking about the coming tournaments in the next few months. I have to make myself more fitter and stronger.���� "It is obviously a dream to play next Olympics. It is not easy to be at the top. I hope that I would be in good shape in the next few years," she said. Rather, she is more focussed on her immediate targets.���� "My immediate targets are China and Japan, but lets see when and how I start training and if I am able to compete, I will give it a try. Hong Kong and Super Series Final are also there but let's see," she said.���� Such has been her urge to triumph in the Olympics, that the thought of winning the prestigious All England and World Championship never crossed her mind.���� "My dream was only to win an Olympic medal. It was never All England or World Championship. If God gives me these two titles, I will be very grateful. But that was never in my mind. I want to do well in each and every tournament," she said.���� Saina admitted of going through pangs of self-doubts, which she eventually overcame.���� "It comes to your mind (fear of losing). Sometimes when you lose a match, you feel my God I have lost the match why should I play. But it is okay, it is part of the sport," she said.���� "Sometimes you feel why do u have to train harder and why do u put more effort. It is natural. But I did overcome that and I have such a great system and support around me. I am very lucky to have such a great team around me," she said. (PTI)
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