New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) Bracing up for the Asian Games, Indian badminton coach RMV Gurusaidutt reckons the country has the “best chance” of winning a gold medal in the men’s team event in Hangzhou.
India won the Thomas Cup in May last year.
“We are the Thomas Cup champions and we have the best chance to go all the way. But it depends on that particular day and the tie, and also how the momentum shifts in team events… it comes down to a lot of basic things,” Guru said.
“Everyone has played at the highest level, all doing well in the circuit. It was good to see we are the fourth seed, so we have a chance to crack anybody. Preparations have been good, so now just rearing to go.” From chasing an Asian Games medal as a player to guiding India’s top shuttlers as a coach in the quadrennial extravaganza, it has been quite a journey for the former Commonwealth Games bronze medallist.
The 33-year-old from Hyderabad, who featured in two Asian Games in 2010 and 2014, found his calling in coaching after retiring as a player in June last year.
In no time Guru was grooming the likes of HS Prannoy and Priyanshu Rajawat at the Pullela Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad. He will be one of the coaches travelling to the Chinese city for the 19th Asian Games.
“Since I started coaching, it has been quite quick. The timing was good for me. I quit and straightaway I was in the national camp as a coach,” Guru, who claimed a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, told
Source: PTI News