Ranking the greatest achievements by Indian shuttlers in the history of the game

2. Saina Nehwal – Bronze 2012 London Olympics

Ever since Badminton was first introduced in the Olympics at the Barcelona edition in 1992, India had very little to feel happy about, especially until the Athens Summer Games in 2004.

However, it seemed like the players had found the way to rise to the occasions as Saina Nehwal, in her maiden olympics, became the first Women shuttler to reach the quarterfinal stage of the competition.

But it was four years later in London, that the shuttler provided the ultimate moment in Indian badminton, when she won the Bronze in the Women’s Singles, thereby etching her name in the pantheon of Indian sporting history as one of the greats.

Although the achievement didn’t come in as pleasing a manner as she would have liked with opponent Wang Xin, having to retire at the start of the match, it nevertheless doesn’t take away the sheer magnitude of her achievement.

She will hope to replicate that feat and go one better and get Gold at Rio in August.