In India’s historic Badminton Asia Team Championships victory, while Anmol Kharb’s and PV Sindhu’s contribution is widely recognised, the importance of Treesa Jolly/Gayatri Gopichand, hasn’t been highlighted enough. The women’s doubles pair picked up crucial victories in the encounters vs China, Japan, and Thailand in the finals.
But former India coach Vimal Kumar not only acknowledges their contribution, but also hails them as one of the medal contenders for the Paris 2024 Olympics, provided the team qualifies.
“I give a lot of credit to Treesa and Gayatri for the way they have performed this week. They have done incredibly well. They have a great chance of a medal, if they qualify for the Olympics. We can definitely expect a medal from them,” Vimal expressed to PTI.
While women’s singles was a big concern over last couple of years for India, suddenly the advent of Anmol has just changed everything. “Anmol’s fearlessness stands out. She’s gritty and her attitude and approach are perfect for team championships.
Women’s Singles
“We were always concerned about women’s singles, and out of the blue came Anmol. It has been heartening and gives a lot of hope to us,” Vimal remarked. But unfortunately, the BATC matches were not broadcast in India, and the fans missed out on a stunning performance by the Indian team.
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“I am disappointed with the lack of broadcasting of the event. It is an important event and fans had to google to find out where one can watch it,” Vimal lamented.
“In a sport like badminton, we are doing well. Lots of good youngsters are coming up and they need to be projected. It can lift the nation up. I plan to write to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry regarding this,” he added.
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