BWF World Championships: Memorable moments – After a historic medal in 1983, courtesy Prakash Padukone’s bronze, India had to wait long 28 years for another at the BWF World Championships. But once Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa broke the jinx in 2011, India have won a medal in each edition of the tournament, taking the tally to 10. With PV Sindhu winning the gold medal in 2019, India’s graph has only gone up. Follow BWF World Championships Live on InsideSport.IN
Since 2011, PV Sindhu has contributed with five medals. At the last BWF World Championships, Sindhu equalled the tally of former Olympics and World Champion Zhang Ning to become the joint-most successful women’s singles shuttler in the tournament’s history with five medals in total (two bronze, two silver and one gold). As Sindhu will begin her title defence starting Sunday, InsideSport takes a look at the memorable moments.
BWF World Championships: From PV Sindhu’s gold, Saina Nehwal’s silver to Padukone’s bronze, 5 memorable moments of India at BWF WC
Prakash Padukone’s bronze in 1983: Prakash Padukone had created history after winning the All England crown in 1980 and climbed to No 1 in the world rankings. At the 1983 edition in Copenhagen, he won his first four matches to storm into the semifinals. He ended up losing to eventual champion Icuk Sugiarto despite winning the first game.
BWF World Championships: From PV Sindhu’s gold, Saina Nehwal’s silver to Padukone’s bronze, 5 memorable moments of India at BWF WC
Jwala Gutta & Ashwini Ponnappa bronze in 2011: India had to wait 28 long years for the next Worlds medal and it came courtesy the women’s doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa in London, 2011. Heading into the event unseeded, the duo went on an extraordinary run to clinch bronze. The most impressive win came againt favourites and No 2 seeds Cheng Wen-hsing and Chien Yu-chin in round two. In the semifinal, the pair eventually lost out to fifth seeds Tian Qing and Zhao Yunlei of China.
PV Sindhu bronze in 2013: The wait for a singles medal had entered its 30th year. It was an 18-year-old PV Sindhu who broke that duck with a bronze. She beat second seed and favourite China’s Wang Yihan in Round 3 and then overcame Chinese seventh seed Wang Shixian in the quarterfinals. The dream run ended at the hands of eventual campion Ratchanok Inthanon of Thailand in the semi-finals.
BWF World Championships: From PV Sindhu’s gold, Saina Nehwal’s silver to Padukone’s bronze, 5 memorable moments of India at BWF WC
PV Sindhu bronze in 2014: Toppling higher-ranked players had become a staple for PV Sindhu and she did more of the same in Copenhagen.A spectacular Round two win against sixth seed Bae Yeon-ju of South Korea was followed by another impressive win against second seed Wang Shixian. Her campaign ended against eventual champion Carolina Marin in straight games in the semifinals.
Saina Nehwal silver in 2015: Until then, Indian shuttlers had always stumbled at the semifinal stage. It was Saina Nehwal who broke that record as she reached the final in Jakarta. Saina Nehwal was seeded second and reached the quarterfinals without dropping a game. The Indian shuttler then got the better of sixth seed Wang Yihan and unseeded Indonesian Lindaweni Fanetri before eventually losing out to Carolina Marin in the final.
BWF World Championships: PV Sindhu gold, B Sai Praneeth bronze, Saina Nehwal silver & other memorable moments for India
Saina Nehwal bronze & PV Sindhu silver in 2017: For the first time, India had two medallists in the same edition of the World Championships.Returning from a career-threatening knee injury post the Olympics, Saina Nehwal was seeded 15th. But the Indian star went on to beat second seed Sung Ji-hyun, Kirsty Gilmour before succumbing to Nozomi Okuhara in three games at the last-four stage.
Following on from her silver medal at the Rio Olympics, PV Sindhu saw off saw off 13th seed Cheung Ngan Yi, fifth seed Sun Yu and Chen Yufei en route to the final. In the summit clash that lasted for 110 minutes, Sindhu went down to seventh seed Nozomi Okuhara to settle for silver.
PV Sindhu silver in 2018: Another World Championships and once again it was PV Sindhu who medalled, becoming the first Indian to clinch two silver medals in the prestigious event. PV Sindhu avenged her defeat to Nozomi Okuhara the previous year by getting past her in the quarterfinals. She was not done yet as a straight-set domilition of second seed Akane Yamaguchi followed in the semifinals. However, it was Carolina Marin again who reigned supreme in the final.
BWF World Championships: PV Sindhu gold, B Sai Praneeth bronze, Saina Nehwal silver & other memorable moments for India
B Sai Praneeth bronze & PV Sindhu gold in 2019: Basel turned out to be India’s most successful World Championships to date. B Sai Praneeth ended India’s 36-year wait for another men’s medallist as he went on to clinch a historic bronze. Seeded 16th, his wins included a third-round triumph against sixth seed Anthony Sinisuka Ginting in straight games and a quarterfinal victory over fellow Indonesian and fourth seed Jonatan Christie. The Indian shuttler ultimately lost to top seed and eventual champion Kento Momota in the semifinals.
India was not done yet as PV Sindhu then went one step further to clinch a memorable gold. highlighting her incredible consistency over the years. The fifth-seed beat second seed Tai Tzu Ying in the quarters, Chen Yufei in the semifinal and Nozomi Okuhara in the final to end India’s wait for a gold.
BWF World Championships: From PV Sindhu’s gold, Saina Nehwal’s silver to Padukone’s bronze, 5 memorable moments of India at BWF WC
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