Basel (Switzerland): PV Sindhu credited her new coach Kim Ji Hyun of South Korea for her triumph at the BWF World Championships here Sunday.
Sindhu beat Japanese former world champion Nozomi Okuhara 21-7, 21-7 in a dominant display of power and aggression to become the first Indian to win gold at the World Championships.
“I really focussed this time and of course now I have a new coach — Miss Kim. I’ve been training under her for the past couple of months and certainly I have improved a lot under her. I am really very thankful to her,” she told reporters after her win.
Sindhu was playing her third consecutive final at the Worlds, having lost in the previous two instances to Okuhara in 2017 and Olympic champion Carolina Marin in 2018.
The win is her first title in what has otherwise been a lacklustre year for Sindhu. She said that while this is a very special moment, she is not looking too far ahead with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics just under a year away.
“Tokyo 2020 is not so far, but right now it’s just step by step for me. I just want to enjoy this moment and not think about anything else,” she said.
“It’s a very special moment. It’s my mom’s Birthday today and I dedicate this medal to her. I’ve been waiting for this medal for a very long time because every time it gets over with a silver, and I wait for another year. Finally I made it and I really can’t wait to go back to India now,” the ace shuttler added.
