How Park motivated Sindhu to win bronze

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 2

PV Sindhu was effusive in her praise towards her current coach Park Tae-Sang. Sindhu attributed her second successive Olympics medal to the hard work done by the South Korean coach who stepped up to train her after Kim Ji Hyun left abruptly.

Sindhu said it was Park’s words that forced her to put the disappointment of losing the semifinal against Tai Tzu-Ying behind and focus on winning the bronze medal.

“After the semifinal I was crying, in fact everyone was in tears,” Sindhu said. “Then my coach and my physio said that it is not over yet. There was a lot of mixed emotion for me then. Did not know whether I should be happy that I got another chance or feel sad because I lost,” she added.

“Park said ‘there is a lot of difference between a bronze and the fourth position’ and I think that really hit me because getting a medal is still a big deal. So my mindset was that I give my best,” she added.

The 42-year-old Park joined Sindhu’s corner and stuck around during the pandemic. “I was blank. After a few seconds, I shouted. My coach was in tears because it was a big moment for us. I hugged him and said ‘thank you’ because it was all down to his effort,” Sindhu said.

Instant star

The bronze medal is also special for Park. “I am also very happy, because in my coaching career this is the first time my player got a medal,” Park said.

The medal has made the South Korean a big favourite with the Indian fans. “My Instagram is flooded by the Indian fans. I have never faced anything like this,” he said. — PTI