Kidambi Srikanth : Hopefully next Olympics, I will win gold
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After producing an impressive performance at the Rio Olympics by reaching the quarters, Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth wants to win the gold at the next Olympics. The 23-year-old, who lost to Lin Dan in the quarters, also said that Super Series tournaments are more competitive than the Olympics.
Although Saina Nehwal crashed out of the Olympics in the group stage, PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth showed the might of Indian badminton at the Rio Olympics by producing tremendous performances. While Sindhu became an overnight sensation in the country after her silver medal winning performance, Srikanth gave the legendary Lin Dan a scare before bowing out in the quarters. Although he produced an admirable performance against the 2008 and 2012 Olympic gold medallist, Kidambi Srikanth believes that he had a chance to defeat the star shuttler.
Definitely, I had my chances in the third game against Lin Dan."
"Definitely, I had my chances in the third game against Lin Dan," he told DNA from Guntur.
"If I had got those two points there (in the third game), the whole scenario would have changed. Having said that, I still played well and I'm happy with that game," the 23-year-old added.
Tokyo Olympics is four years away, but Srikanth hopes that he can be stronger next time and can win the gold for the country.
"Everybody goes to Olympics thinking of winning gold. I did it. I lost by a small margin. Next time, hope I will be stronger and win gold," he said with confidence. "When I saw Sindhu play the final, I felt bad for myself that I could not win my quarterfinal match. At the same time, I was happy somebody was representing India in the final.
"Everybody thinks that way (of winning gold). Every time they see somebody playing the final or winning a medal, they will definitely dream of themselves being there. I had that dream. I had that thought of being there at that moment in the final. These things depend on how much hard work one puts," said Srikanth.
Next time, hope I will be stronger and win gold."
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The World No.10 also added that today’s athletes are not satisfied with mere participation in the Olympics, but wants to win a medal every time they represent the country.
"Everybody wants to win. The attitude of today's athletes has changed. They have very good aggression. To have that feeling of winning for the nation, giving something back to the nation is foremost. I did not want to go there, play and come back. I wanted to go there, give my best with the aim of winning a medal for the nation."
"The whole idea of representing the nation has changed. Only representing the nation doesn't give us satisfaction. Winning a medal and making the nation proud is what we look for," said the right-handed shuttler.
We work so hard thinking of winning that medal."
“The passion we have for the particular sport we play and the amount of hard work we put in training. We work so hard thinking of winning that medal,” he added.
Although he believes that the Olympics was a good experience, the Guntur-born
"In Olympics, you get only the top players. In Superseries, you have so many players, everyone in the world top 30 play. In Olympics, the world's top 10-12 or the best from each country gets to play. Super Series is a little tougher.
"In Superseries, right from the first round, it is serious competition. In Olympics, you play some of the weaker players in the initial rounds, players who are ranked lower. You are challenged from the quarterfinal round. Having said that, Olympics is special as it gives the chance to represent the country,” Srikanth told
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