Aparna Popat sure of good medal haul in London Olympics

"I think six or seven medals is what we can look for from this Olympics," Popat told PTI here at an event organised by magazine Sportstar.

India picked up a gold in shooting, and two bronze medals in boxing and wrestling in the previous Games at Beijing, which remains the country's highest-ever performance from a single Olympics.

She earmarked Saina Nehwal as the strongest contender for a medal in the London Games.

"I did visit the training centre and met Saina there. I have also been seeing her matches in the Indonesian Open. In a sense I have this inkling of how she is playing and her form. Hence I am very confidently saying a medal will come. I don't know which medal would come but definitely wish for gold," the 34-year-old former national champion said.

 

"In badminton, she is the best bet. In doubles also we have a chance but seeing the draw that is an outside chance," Popat added.

Nehwal beat Chinese world number four Shixian Wang and and world number three Xuerui Li en route to her third Indonesia Open title in last four years at Jakarta.

Popat said there will pressure on Saina but felt the 22-year-old will be able to cope up with it as she has done in the past.

"There will be pressure on her but she knows how to handle it," she said. (MORE)