Will pick and choose tourneys to remain fit, says Sindhu

Chennai : World champion shuttler P V Sindhu on Thursday said she will pick and choose tournaments to stay fit ahead of next year's Tokyo Olympics.

The Olympic qualification period started on April 29 with the Badminton World Federation (BWF) considering the rankings list to be published on April 30, 2020, to allocate spots.

Since last year, the BWF has also made it compulsory for the world's top 15 players in the singles events and top 10 pairs in the doubles disciplines to play a minimum of 12 out of 15 tournaments of the World Tour or face a penalty.

"Since it's the Olympics year, each and every tournament is important. You need to be mentally and physically fit and maintain your fitness levels and give your 100 per cent in every tournament," Sindhu said.

"Definitely, I will choose tournaments since you have to be injury-free and give 100 per cent which is very important..." she added.

The 24-year-old Hyderabad shuttler became the first Indian to be crowned world champion when she defeated Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in August.

She had previously lost in the finals twice. Sindhu felicitated the sports achievers of Velammal Nexus Schools for their accomplishments in various disciplines at the national and international level with scholarships worth Rs 60 lakh.

She thanked people for their support and said her next aim was to bag the gold in the Tokyo Olympics.

"I would just take it as blessings and love and support from all, the billions of people of the country and go out there and play at the Olympics in 2020.

And definitely I hope and I wish I will give my best and get the gold," Sindhu said. Later, the ace shuttler met actor and Makkal Needhi Maiyam chief Kamal Haasan at his office.