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NEW DELHI: Saina Nehwal, the acclaimed Indian badminton player and former Olympic bronze medallist, has disclosed that she is battling arthritis, putting her future in the sport in jeopardy. Now 34 and previously ranked world No. 1, Nehwal revealed that the condition has significantly limited her training capabilities, leading her to consider retirement by the end of this year.
Nehwal made history as the first Indian shuttler to win an Olympic medal with her bronze victory in London 2012. However, her career has faced multiple setbacks due to injuries in recent years. Discussing her situation on the ‘House of Glory’ podcast with shooting legend Gagan Narang, Nehwal did not shy away from admitting that her professional life is nearing its conclusion.
“The knee is not very good. I have arthritis. My cartilage has gone to a bad state. It is very difficult to push for eight-nine hours,” Nehwal revealed. “How will you challenge the best players in the world in such a state? I think I will have to accept it somewhere. Because two hours of training is not good enough to play with the highest level of players and get the desired results.”
Nehwal has been absent from competitive play since the Singapore Open more than a year ago. As she battles her condition, she has begun to entertain the idea of retirement, although it weighs heavily on her mind.
“I am also thinking about it (retirement). It will be sad because it is like a job that a normal person does. Obviously, a sportsperson’s career is always a short one. I started at the age of 9. I will be 35 next year,” she stated.
Nehwal’s career has been adorned with notable achievements, including gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2018. Despite her current physical struggles, she expressed pride in her journey and accomplishments.
“I have also had a long career, and I am very proud of that. I have broken my body to a great extent. I am happy with what I have done and given it all. (I) will assess how I feel by the end of this year,”Saina said.
The Padma Shri awardee also opened up about the emotional toll of potentially not competing in future Olympic Games, a goal she has pursued since childhood.
“Competing at the Olympics is a childhood dream for all. You prepare to reach that level for years. Hence, at times, when you realize you will not be able to make it, it hurts a lot. But I have done a lot of hard work. I competed in three Olympics. I gave my 100 per cent in all of them. I can take pride in that and be happy about it,” she added.
Nehwal made history as the first Indian shuttler to win an Olympic medal with her bronze victory in London 2012. However, her career has faced multiple setbacks due to injuries in recent years. Discussing her situation on the ‘House of Glory’ podcast with shooting legend Gagan Narang, Nehwal did not shy away from admitting that her professional life is nearing its conclusion.
“The knee is not very good. I have arthritis. My cartilage has gone to a bad state. It is very difficult to push for eight-nine hours,” Nehwal revealed. “How will you challenge the best players in the world in such a state? I think I will have to accept it somewhere. Because two hours of training is not good enough to play with the highest level of players and get the desired results.”
Nehwal has been absent from competitive play since the Singapore Open more than a year ago. As she battles her condition, she has begun to entertain the idea of retirement, although it weighs heavily on her mind.
“I am also thinking about it (retirement). It will be sad because it is like a job that a normal person does. Obviously, a sportsperson’s career is always a short one. I started at the age of 9. I will be 35 next year,” she stated.
Nehwal’s career has been adorned with notable achievements, including gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in 2010 and 2018. Despite her current physical struggles, she expressed pride in her journey and accomplishments.
“I have also had a long career, and I am very proud of that. I have broken my body to a great extent. I am happy with what I have done and given it all. (I) will assess how I feel by the end of this year,”Saina said.
The Padma Shri awardee also opened up about the emotional toll of potentially not competing in future Olympic Games, a goal she has pursued since childhood.
“Competing at the Olympics is a childhood dream for all. You prepare to reach that level for years. Hence, at times, when you realize you will not be able to make it, it hurts a lot. But I have done a lot of hard work. I competed in three Olympics. I gave my 100 per cent in all of them. I can take pride in that and be happy about it,” she added.
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