Speaking to India Today, the ace shuttler had said, “Right now I am on cloud nine and I have no words to express (what I am feeling). We had to make a lot of sacrifices and Gopi sir also made many sacrifices. I would like to really thank him. I would just say because of him, I am here today.”
When Sindhu made history by clinching a silver at the Olympics, the moment was a culmination of years of hard work that both she and her coach had put in.
Therefore as a thank you to her teacher, Sindhu has produced a digital film with Gatorade, of which she is the brand ambassador.
The film titled “I Hate My Teacher” has Sindhu listing a number of reasons why she “hates” Gopichand. She talks about “hating” him for believing in her more than she did in herself, pushing her, testing her and most importantly, for never giving up.
Sindhu started training with Gopichand from 2004 and both have often spoken about the discipline and rigorous training required to produce top-notch performances.
In an interview to Verve, Sindhu had said, “Juggling sports and studies was not that easy, but I managed to do it. Initially, no one thought I would be that big, so schooling was given equal importance. I had to live a disciplined life – I still do, in fact. Following a regimen was not difficult — as it ultimately enabled me to become a better player. I always focused on the fact that I had an ambition in life. So, no matter how tough or hard life was going to get for me, I decided to go along with it. For coach Gopichand, though a hard taskmaster on the court, truly understands his players.”
Gopichand has also always praised his star student Sindhu as a dedicated student.
He told The Times of India last year, “I can tell you that for the last six years, we started every day at 4.30 in the morning. Not once do I remember her telling me, ‘I’ll come at 4.45 or 5.00’. That’s her work ethic. I only have to tell her the time. If I say 6.45, she’ll say okay without hesitation. That’s the way she trains.”
Watch the video below:
