The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Shuttlers continue their golden run

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 19, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Shuttlers continue their golden run

V.V. Subrahmanyam

Players from the State stamp their authority in the National Games at Guwahati

Jwala Gutta

HYDERABAD: There was a touch of certainty amid the uncertainty of Andhra Pradesh's medal haul in the Guwahati National Games. With the cream of Indian badminton hailing from the city, they were bound to make a splash in the Games.

Keeping the reputation intact, Parupalli Kashyap and Saina Nehawal won the singles gold in men's and women's sections respectively while the tested doubles duo of Gutta Jwala and Shruthi Kurien proved once more that they are a force to reckon with in the national circuit to pick the doubles gold.

Under normal circumstances, a National Games gold would not stir the emotions of the average sports-lovers. But for the badminton lovers, this is real big news for a combination of reasons. For Saina happens to be the rare player who picked the Senior National title and the National Games gold in the space of a few weeks. Apparently, she was in the mood to prove that the Senior National title was no flash in the pan.

This highest-rated woman shuttler from India has added one more feather in her cap, which would go a long way in keeping her morale high ahead of some big events on the European circuit. "Definitely, the National Games gold has its own special value. A gold is a gold at this level," she asserted after scripting a hard-fought win against Aditi Mutatkar.

This Lakshmi Mittal Foundation-sponsored girl does look at this event, as a significant milestone for it happens to be her maiden gold in the Games.

Special for Kashyap

For Kashyap, it was special by all means as it happens to be the first major singles title at this level. And coming against the elegant, national champion Chetan Anand is a factor, this was reason for big celebrations. In a battle between experience and youth, the latter triumphed when it mattered most. The win should give him the confidence to take on the best.

The champion shuttlers are trainees under former All England champion Pullela Gopi Chand. What more can he ask for than gold in the National Games just when the critics are growing in number questioning his very credentials as a national coach.

The memorable triumph of Jwala and Shruti was another simple story of fighting adversity of a different kind. Up against a set of people out to demoralise them at every conceivable opportunity, the five-time national champions scripted another fabulous story in Guwahati. They were also instrumental in Andhra Pradesh winning the women's team gold too!

What does all this mean? Come what may, players from the State, more so from the city, have the potential to shuttle to glory amidst adversity on different fronts.

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