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Badminton ace and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, Saina Nehwal offered prayers and sought blessings at Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri on Thursday.
"I have come here along with my mother. 'Darshan' has been good, I would like to thank G Kishan Reddy, the tourism minister for this...," Nehwal told the media after her visit. Nehwal, a bronze medalist at the 2012 London Olympics, said she wants India to do well in sports and she wants to contribute to it. "I want badminton to flourish in India, more academies should be established, and good coaches should be included to provide newcomers a better platform. Definitely, I would help if something would be expected from me...," she added. Hailing from Haryana, the 33-year-old shuttler caught everyone's attention after winning the BWF World Junior Championships in 2008, early in her career. In the same year, she went on to make her first Olympic appearance but had to wait for another four years to bag a medal in the Summer Games. In 2008, she became the first Indian woman to reach the Olympic quarter-finals. She defeated, then-world number five Wang Chen of Hong Kong but lost to Indonesia's Maria Kristin Yulianti.In 2009, Saina became the first Indian to win a BWF Super Series event. Her remarkable efforts were recognised as she was conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2009 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 2010. The shuttler has had a phenomenal career for India, transforming the sport in the country. Saina represented India in several premier badminton competitions, winning various trophies and medals. She is also the only female Indian player to hold the world No.1 ranking in the sport. Saina has played a significant role in inspiring thousands of athletes and youth in the country to strive for success. (ANI)
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