Saina Nehwal clinched Bronze in Women’s Singles Badminton Event at London Olympics 2012

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehawal won India its third medal at London Olympics 2012 after she clinched a bronze in women's singles badminton event played at Wembley Arena on 4 August 2012. Saina bagged the bronze after her Chinese opponent  Xin Wang conceded the match due to a knee injury. Xin Wang was one game point ahead of Saina when she decided to quit the game due to the unbearable pain. Chinese shuttlers Li Xuerui and Wang Yihan won the gold and silver medals respectively.

Saina’s bronze marked India’s third medal at London Olympics 2012 and twelfth individual medal in the history of modern oympics. The previous two medals came in shooting events. While Gagan Narang won India its first bronze in the London Olympics on 30 July 2012, Vijay Kumar clinched silver on 3 August 2012. With this victory, Saina became the second Indian woman after Karanam Malleshwari to win a medal in the history of olympics. Karnam Malleshwari had earned India a bronze in weight lifting event in 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Born in Hisar, Haryana on 17 March 1990, Saina Nehwal turned a professional shuttler in 2006. Year 2008 saw her winning the World Junior Badminton Championships. In 2008 Beijing Olympics she had reached the quarter-finals round becoming the first Indian woman to reach the quarter finals in the Olympic Games. In year 2009, she won the Indonesia Open Title, becoming the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series title. Saina’s career best ranking came in 2010 when she rose to world number two position.

Former Indonesian badminton great Atil Jauhari is the present coach of Saina while, national coach Pullela Gopichand is her mentor.

Saina was awarded with the Arjuna Award in 2009 and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest award given to a sportsperson in the country, in year 2010. The government of India also conferred Padm Shree, the fourth highest civilian award in India, upon her in 2010.

Saina Nehwal’s Medal Tally

2008: BWF World Junior Championships (Gold)
2009: Indonesia Super Series (Gold)
2009: Indian Open Grand Prix (Gold)
2010: Badminton Asia Championships (Bronze)
2010: Indian Open Grand Prix (Gold)
2010: Singapore Open Super Series (Gold)
2010: Indonesia Open Super Series (Gold)
2010: Commonwealth Games (Gold)
2010: Hong Kong Super Series (Gold)
2011: Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold (Gold)
2011: Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold (Silver)
2011: Indonesia Open Super Series Premier (Silver)
2012: Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold (Gold)