(Badminton News) On Tuesday, PV Sindhu, the silver medalist at the Rio Olympics and bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, made an announcement regarding her new coach. Taking to her social media, Sindhu shared a photo with Hafiz Hashim, a former Malaysian badminton player, and expressed her excitement about their partnership.
In her caption, Sindhu wrote, “After a thorough and extensive process, I am delighted to announce that I have chosen the incredible Hafiz Hashim as my coach. Hafiz possesses the qualities I was seeking in a coach, including height, speed, and an attacking instinct. Furthermore, as the former All England champion in 2003, he certainly has the pedigree. His association with Coach Sidek only adds to his aura.”
PV Sindhu expressed her warm welcome to Coach Hashim, stating, “I extend a warm welcome aboard, Coach Hashim. Buckle up folks, it’s going to be a hell of a journey with captain Hafiz at the helm!”
Hafiz Hashim, aged 40, was a part of the Malaysian team that achieved a Silver medal at the 2002 Thomas Cup, successive Bronze medals at the Asian Games in 2002 and 2006, and a Gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. He also emerged victorious in the men’s singles final at the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.
Last month, Sindhu ended her coaching association with Park Tae-Sang, who had been guiding her since 2019 and with whom she had secured the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Although Sindhu had claimed her first Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham last year, her return to the court earlier this year after a six-month break did not go according to plan.
In an Instagram post on Monday, PV Sindhu expressed her disappointment with her recent performances. She mentioned that her journey at the US Open came to an end in the quarterfinals, where she faced the talented Gao Fang Jie. Despite having previously defeated Gao in Canada, this time she was outplayed in straight games, with Gao effectively exploiting Sindhu’s weaknesses. PV Sindhu praised Gao for being well-prepared and delivering an impressive performance, while also expressing her determination to face Gao again in the future and put up a strong fight.
After the conclusion of his coaching association with PV Sindhu, Park Tae-Sang took to his social media and expressed his sentiments. He acknowledged that Sindhu had been experiencing disappointing results in her recent matches, and as her coach, he felt responsible. Sindhu expressed her desire for a change and to find a new coach, and out of respect for her decision, Park Tae-Sang decided to support her choice. He apologized for not being able to be with her until the next Olympics but assured her that he would continue to support her from a distance.
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