South Korean great Lee Hyun Il roped in as badminton star PV Sindhu’s consulting coach on interim basis

New Delhi: Double Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu can have South Korean great Lee Hyun Il as her consulting coach on period in-between basis as she bolstered her coaching team beforehand of her anticipated return to action next month. The move came after the hot appointment of Anup Sridhar as Sindhu’s period in-between coach. The duo may perhaps also be in Sindhu’s coaching team till December 2024. A call on a permanent coaching team is anticipated by that time.

Sindhu is anticipated to return to competitive action at the Finland Open and Denmark Open, both in October. Hyun Il, a former world No. 1 and Sindhu’s teammate right during the Premier Badminton League (PBL), brings vast international experience and a reputation for meticulous preparation. He is a 2006 world championships bronze medallist in singles and has two Asian Games team gold medals in 2002 and 2014.

His inclusion, alongside Sridhar, became geared toward creating a dynamic coaching duo that blends experience, tactical precision, and deep knowledge of the game. Both the coaches will assist in Sindhu’s preparation as she begins her post-Olympic campaign and aims to sharpen her game for the upcoming European circuit.

“I’m overjoyed to have Anup and Lee Hyun Il joining my team in this crucial period. Anup’s working out of Indian badminton and his strategic approach have always impressed me, and I await working closely with him,” Sindhu said in a liberate.

“Having Lee, along with his meticulous preparation and legendary experience, is an honour. I’ve always respected his attention to detail, and I'm able to’t wait to learn from him right through these following few months.” On joining Sindhu’s coaching team, Hyun Il said, “Working with PV Sindhu became a straightforward decision. Our previous partnership during the PBL highlighted her fierce determination and extra special talent.

“I'm excited to make contributions to her growth and success during the upcoming tournaments.” The decision to rent a new coaching team followed the conclusion of coach Agus Dwi Santoso’s contract with the Sports Authority of India.

Recognising the should streamline her travelling team, Sindhu is attempting to locate a coach who can actively spar with her and make contributions to her day-to-day training. Sindhu also acknowledged Santoso’s contribution to her badminton journey.

“I in actuality appreciate coach Agus for each of the effort he invested in preparing me for the Olympics. His labor and commitment were instrumental in getting me back from injury and prepared for competition. He became more than only a coach; he became a chum and a guide.

“I will pass over those early morning training sessions with him and may always look for to him. I also can greatly pass over that typical Indonesian energy that made three-hour training sessions more fun, to boot to our chats after matches and long chants on flights. Any athlete who works with him may perhaps also be lucky to have this form of dedicated coach.”