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Reachout's Newsmaker
P.Gopichand
"The Second
Indian to win the All England Championship"
The biggest title in the
game of Badminton has been clinched by Hyderabad's Pullela Gopichand at
the All England Badminton Championship at Birmingham. He made a
comprehensive victory of 15-12,15-6 over China's Chen Hong and become
the second Indian after Prakash Padukone to win the coveted title. Such
has been the domination of Gopichand that he did not lose even a single
game in the All England tourney.
Earlier he had shocked world No:1 Peter Gade Christiensen of Denmark in
the semi-finals 17-14,17-15.
"His
is a story of sheer hard work & determination"
( Gopi's classmate at St.Pauls
High School recollects his obsession with the game).
When the 1988 batch of St. Paul's High School passed out, hoping to make a mark
somewhere, young Gopichand was the only lad who had already made a mark in the Badminton
field.
His is indeed a story of sheer hard work, single-mindedness and pure determination for the game of
Badminton. All these traits were seen in him when he was in the 5th standard
itself. That means Gopi's skill at Badminton was the talk of the school when he was hardly around 10 years
old. Probably his interest in Badminton might have been rooted much before that.
(Gopichand receiving the Arjuna Award
by the President of India. Interestingly, no badminton player had been
recommended for this coveted award for more than a decade.)
The entire school used to go to the indoor stadium at Fateh Maidan to watch Gopi's
game. The Inter school Monford Games brought him into the competitive league. It
is commendable that Gopichand has sustained his interest in the game
which has finally given him rich
dividends by winning the coveted All England championship-a dream come true for any Indian sports man.
During the last Olympic Games when Gopi was hailed as India's best bet for an Olympic
Gold, Hyderabad was eagerly awaiting for the birth of a
legend. It was a big blow when Gopi crashed in the pre-quarters. Nevertheless Gopi had this tendency to come back in style and now he has
overcome the Olympic debacle with a bang by winning the All England Championship for India,21 years after Prakash Padukone won it for
India. It is the biggest moment for a Hyderabadi sportsman in recent times.
When Gopi land up in the city with the coveted trophy, it would be the biggest reception for any Hyderabadi sportsman and all the way till his flat in Himayatnagar
'the shuttle called Gopi will be in the air'
What a moment for Indian sports.
Grand
reception for Gopi Chand in City:75 lakhs state gifts bonanza
+Hyundai Car
-Maju
Kuriakose
Chief Executive
ReachoutHyderabad.com
March' 2001
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