August 9, 2012: Saina Nehwal wins bronze at London Olympics
In India, Saina Nehwal started a revolution in her sport. No woman shuttler from India had ever had such an impact on the sport, sparking a wave of interest across the nation, until the legendary Prakash Padukone made a lasting impression on the world of badminton and P. Gopichand captured the attention of the critics by winning the 2001 All England Championship.
Nehwal created Olympic history by being the first shuttler from India to take home a medal with her bronze at the 2012 London Games.
In the run-up to the London Games, Nehwal was the cynosure of all eyes, winning many BWF Grand Prix titles besides five Super Series tournaments, with the three Indonesia Opens topping the chart besides the 2010 Commonwealth Games singles gold in Delhi.
As her opponent withdrew from the match due to injury after winning the first game and holding a 1-0 lead in the second, Nehwal was awarded the medal by default. ‘I was completely taken aback when it occurred. I wanted to beat my opponent and get my medal,’ proclaimed Nehwal. ‘I rushed over to comfort her after becoming a little alarmed to see her in pain.’
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