Injury scare for Sindhu ahead of Commonwealth Games

The 22-year-old Indian suffered a sprain in her right ankle while practising at the Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad under the watchful eyes of India chief coach Gopichand and assistant coach Mohd. Siyadutallah. 

“She had hurt her ankle while training at the academy today. So we did an MRI to be 100 per cent sure that everything is fine. No bone or ligament injury was found, so I am happy. we didn’t want to take any risk,” Sindhu’s father P V Ramana said. 

“Now she will rest for a day and day after tomorrow she will start running again. She will go to the ground tomorrow and do some strengthening experience. There is enough time as CWG starts with team event. So nothing to worry.” 

World No 3 Sindhu is a favourite to win the Commonwealth Games gold medal. She had won a bronze in the last edition at 2014 Glasgow CWG.

Australian badminton player Sawan Serasinghe made headlines at the Rio 2016 Olympics when he had a fast food feast including six burgers, six chocolate brownies, four boxes of chicken nuggets and six large fries. 

At GC2018, the only thing he wants on the menu is a medal. “I definitely want to end up on the podium,” he said. “I’m playing two events so even more chance to get there in one of them, or hopefully both.” As well as a medal or two, Serasinghe is hoping the exposure of the Games will have an impact on badminton’s future in Australia.

He coaches junior athletes at his long-time club in Melbourne and has seen the talent that is emerging at the grass roots level. “I think the popularity is definitely increasing,” he said. 

“There’s a massive social/ casual scene already in Australia and especially Victoria, because I live there and I get to see it.