PV Sindhu teams up with consulting coach Lee Hyun Il
What's the story
Double Olympic medalist in badminton, PV Sindhu, has appointed South Korean legend, Lee Hyun Il, as her consulting coach.
This move comes after the recent appointment of Anup Sridhar as her interim coach.
Both coaches will be associated with Sindhu's team until December 2024, with a permanent coaching decision expected by then.
Here are further details.
Upcoming tournaments
Return to competitive badminton
Sindhu has been preparing for her return to the competitive scene, with the Finland Open and Denmark Open lined up for October.
Lee Hyun Il, the former world number one and Sindhu's teammate in the Premier Badminton League (PBL), brings international experience to her team.
He won a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships and two Asian Games team golds in 2002 and 2014.
Coach's perspective
Lee Hyun Il's enthusiasm about joining the team
Lee Hyun Il expressed his excitement about joining Sindhu's coaching team.
"Working with PV Sindhu was an easy decision. Our previous partnership in the PBL highlighted her fierce determination and exceptional talent," he stated.
"I am excited to contribute to her growth and success in the upcoming tournaments."
This coaching change follows the end of coach Agus Dwi Santoso's contract with the Sports Authority of India.
Past contributions
Sindhu acknowledges Santoso's role in her career
Sindhu also acknowledged Santoso's role in her badminton journey.
"I truly appreciate coach Agus for all the effort he invested in preparing me for the Olympics. His hard work and commitment were instrumental in getting me back from injury and ready for competition," she said.
Olympics
Sindhu missed Olympic medal in Paris
India's ace shuttler Sindhu missed out on a medal after losing to China's He Bingjiao at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Bingjiao won the clash, 21-19, 21-14.
Sindhu could have become the first-ever Indian athlete to win three individual Olympic medals.
While she clinched a historic silver in the 2016 Rio Games, the Indian shuttler returned with a bronze in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.