PV Sindhu creates history, gives India its first Olympic silver in badminton

Despite losing an opportunity to win gold in Rio de Janerio, PV Sindhu on Friday scripted history by becoming country's first shuttler to hand India an Olympic silver medal here on Friday.

After producing a spirited fight-back to clinch the first game, the 21-year-old lanky shuttler from Hyderabad failed to capitalize on it and went on to lose the next two games with a big margin against world number one Carolina Marin in the women's singles event.

The Spaniard took about one hour and 20 minutes to outclass Sindhu, the two-time bronze medallist at the World Championship, 19-21, 21-12, 21-15 and seal a gold medal in a nerve-wracking summit showdown.

Earlier, Sindhu produced a perfect blend of power and aggression as she registered a 21-19, 21-10 win over reigning All England singles champion Nozomi Okohura of Japan to book her place in the finals of the prestigious quadrennial event and assure India of its second medal at the ongoing Rio Olympics and in the games' history.

Sindhu has now become the second Indian player in badminton to win an Olympic medal after Saina Nehwal, who had clinched bronze in London four years ago.

With the feat, Sindhu has also become the fifth Indian woman to clinch a medal in Olympics history after Karnam Malleswari, Mary Kom, Saina Nehwal and Sakshi Malik.