Saina Nehwal is eyeing the number 1 spot in world badminton for sure!

Her brilliant performance at the recently concluded All England Championships speaks volumes about her dominance in this sport; not long ago, she was relegated to the third spot in the rankings, but now she has again regained her career-best ranking of World number 2conferred on her by the Badminton World Federation.

Saina with coach Gopichand Pullela

Saina’s Rise To The Number 2 Spot

• India’s most promising female badminton player, Saina Nehwal has done it again, even after a shocking loss in the final of the All England Championships against World champion Caroline Marin.
• She has now replaced Wang Shixian of China to become the World number 2 player in professional female badminton rankings.
• She is now just a step behind China’s Li Xuerui to gain her dream of being the number 1 player in the world; a first for any female Indian badminton player. Currently, she has 74381 points in comparison to Xuerui’s 79214 points.
• Saina failed to go into the record books as the first ever Indian woman to win the coveted ‘Wimbledon of badminton’ when she lost 21-16, 14-21 and 7-21 to the Spaniard Carolina. Saina had earlier beaten Carolina in their three previous meetings, but this time luck wasn’t in her favour.

Saina’s next challenge is of conquering the Indian Open that is scheduled to begin this month. She is yet to win this title and winning this title will add credible points to her world title.

Talking to the media, Saina said, ‘I am very happy to regain my position as the world number two in the world rankings. After the All England Championship, I knew that I will become the number two this week for sure. I will continue to work harder and try to become the world number one very soon!’

We all hope that she continues to strengthen her form and put this loss behind her to surge towards the peak of rankings. Her rise to fame began ever since she came under the watchful training of former badminton veteran Pullela Gopichand.

Pullela Gopichand

Gopichand, is one of the only two Indians to win the All England Championships after Prakash Padukone. If Saina can achieve this feat in the future, her stature as a credible badminton player for our nation will grow to insurmountable heights. She is already an inspiration to thousands of youngsters hoping to make it big in the international badminton leagues.

The post Saina Nehwal Surges Again! Back To Number 2 World Ranking! appeared first on Youngisthan.in.

With a satisfactory show in the Commonwealth Games behind them, the Indian contingent will be looking to take one step ahead as the much anticipated Asian Games 2014 kicks off in Incheon, China.

Last time India participated in the games, they won 14 gold medals which were held in Guangzhou four years ago. That was India’s best show of medals tally and will look to add more medals this time around with the list of athletes already gone through some chopping before arriving on the Chinese shores.

The Indian contingent consists of 516 athletes and 163 coaches and support staff who will participate in a total of 28 disciplines as against 35 last time around. So who are the athletes which can get the glory days to the nation? Can India win 20 gold medals this time around?

These athletes are our pride and the hopes are pinned on them. Who are they?

Yogeshwar Dutt (Wrestling):

One of the star names to be listed in the Indian contingent, Yogeshwar Dutt remains India’s best bet to win gold at the Incheon Asian Games 2014. After Sushil Kumar’s unavailability, Yogeshwar will look to end India’s 28-year wait for a wrestling gold, which was last won in 1986 by Kartar Singh. Dutt will wrestle in the 65kg freestyle.

PV Sindhu, Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap (badminton):

After a historic bronze at the World Championships, Hyderabadi PV Sindhu will be looking to make amends and land India a medal. Saina Nehwal will be India’s best bet for a gold and so will P Kashyap, who will be making his mark in the men’s singles category.

Gagan Narang (shooting):

After bagging a silver and a bronze medal in 50-metre Rifle Prone and 50-metre Rifle 3 Position at the Commonwealth Games, ace shooter Gagan Narang will look to switch gears at the Asian Games with atleast a gold medal!

Preeja Sreedharan (athletics):

India have not produced a PT Usha in recent years but Preeja Sreedharan could make a mark in the relay events. After her gold medal win in Guangzhou four years ago in the 10000m event, Preeja can surely not be discounted this time around as well. At this year’s Asian Games, Preeja will be participating in the 5000m as well.

MC Marykom (boxing):

After raking in the vanilla points with a Bollywood biopic, boxer MC Marykom is all set to roar at the Asian Games 2014 after the frustration of failing to qualify for Glasgow CWG.

Deepika Kumari (archery): Indian archery has performed well over the years and that’s because of former world number one, Deepika Kumari. After having missed out on a bronze medal in Guangzhou four years ago, Deepika will be looking to make amends of the loss at the Asian Games in Incheon.

Indian hockey team:

The Indian hockey team has not performed well recently, with a poor show at the CWG as well. But Aussie coach Terry Walsh has taken a mixture of youth and experienced players to the Asian Games with skipper Sardar Singh leading from the front.

With the Asian Games all set to go in motion, every Indian fan will be inching to see their favourite athlete perform at the highest and earn a gold medal of the utmost honour!

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India did well in the recently concluded Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Even though the gold count was less (15), the players had a good showing with some new faces impressing one and all.

Thus, the ‘same old story’ begins with our medal winners returning home to rousing welcome and upon that, the State Government or the National Ruling party announces cash rewards to the winner or a job in the services.

To begin with, that’s not bad at all but slowly and steadily, it turns out be a hoax call.

Many have been duped over the period and one being amongst them is the recent silver medallist, Anisa Sayyed.

The shooter, who was also a winner the 2010 CWG, clinched silver in the just-concluded edition in Glasgow.

In 2010, she was promised a job in the government but is still waiting for it. For the past three years, the Haryana government is yet to fulfil Anisa’s job aspirations, leaving the champion shooter with no option but to voice her aggravation.

In an interview to the press the 33-year was quoted, “I have been waiting for three years, waiting for that promised job. But it has still not seen the light of the day. If they think I don’t deserve this then they should not keep me waiting. That’s not fair on an athlete who has and continues to strive for international success.”

Her woeful plight was that the Haryana state government’s job hoax has yet to see the light of the day. After her 2010 exploits, Anisa Sayyed was offered a job by the Hooda-led government due to which the former quit the Railways job and also ignored the interest from Maharashtra government.

Is this what our medal hopefuls are fighting or slogging out for?

Our ‘daze’ government hardly puts a thing right and with such shoddy work, who would want to believe in their words. Anisa is not the only one to be hard done by!

Ace shuttler Sania Nehwal was amongst these deceptive appeals from the government. After winning a bronze at the 2012 London Olympics, the then chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, N Kiran Kumar Reddy had announced a prize-money of Rs. 50 lakh for Nehwal but after the Telangana separation, the Hyderabad-born did not receive the cash reward.

State Governments from across the country announced various cash rewards and prizes for our medal winners after the latter’s heroics at the Commonwealth Games.

But one question for the government – where were you when they needed the most?

Where are the facilities and practice grounds?

Do they know who the hell is Sita Sahu and what she is upto?

Sita Sahu was a two-time bronze winner at the 2011 Athens Special Olympics and now sells gol-gappas and papdi chats on the streets. Sita is one of the many athletes in India who is forced into poverty due to the appalling work rate of our government. Atleast, the likes of Sita can run their homes and families rather than rotting on and living a stricken life.

‘Acche Din’ is what PM Narendra Modi promised to the nation prior taking the chair.

As of now Modi must ensure that our athletes receive the top-most facility to work upon and the most importantly, the financial support which is lacking.

If both the needs are in place, a top-four finish in the Rio Olympics is not far away!

Believe me, nobody can stop Indians!

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