"100 percent we are capable of winning more medals" - Tanisha Crasto confident of India's prospects in badminton at Paris 2024 OlympicsÂ
Tanisha Crasto will be among the Indian badminton players representing their country at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The BWF released their 'Race to Paris' rankings on Tuesday, April 30, and that featured India earning five spots at the upcoming Summer Games.
Crasto will be partnering with veteran Ashwini Ponnappa in the women's doubles. She is confident that the Indian shuttlers' contingent will produce a better yield this time compared to Tokyo 2020 Olympics. In those Games, PV Sindhu won India's only medal in badminton, a bronze in women's singles.
"I think 100 percent we can change the color of the medal and 100 percent we are capable of winning more medals. I think everyone's working very very hard to go out there and just win a medal and I feel that India can win more medals, and of course, change the color of the medal to gold this time," the 20-year-old told reporters.
Apart from them, two-time Olympic medalist Sindhu will also be competing, in the women's singles. HS Prannoy and Lakshya Sen have qualified in men's singles category while the pair of Satwiksairaj Rankiredddy and Chirag Shetty have secured a spot in men's doubles.
Going by recent form, India's biggest hope would be the duo of Satwik and Chirag. The men's doubles pair were ranked World No. 1 till recently. They are at the third spot presently.
Tanish Crasto mentioned the pair while discussing India's leading contenders for a medal.
"I think this is one of the best contingents going to the Olympics this time. Satwik and Chirag are former World No. 1. I think Prannoy and Lakshya are in the top 10, top 15, and we, of course, are in the top 20. I think it is a very strong team going this time and 100 percent capable of giving each one a good fight out there," she said.
Tanisha Crasto thrilled to be making her Olympics debut
While Ashwini Ponnappa is a veteran at the senior level, Paris 2024 will be the first taste of the Olympics for Tanish Crasto.
The Dubai-born shuttler is understandably looking forward to the opportunity with great anticipation.
"I am very, very excited especially since I will be playing the Olympics at such a young age. Of course, it is a very big deal but I am very excited and ready to learn so much more experience from this Olympics. This feeling is very different and I am very excited."
The pair of Crasto and Ponnappa is currently ranked 21st in the BWF World Rankings. They won't be a fancied pair to win a medal. However, Ponnappa is a former World Championships bronze medalist and her guidance is a great asset for Crasto.
"It has been great. I think it has been about a year-and-a-half if you would say that me and didi (Ponnappa) had started playing. It has been an amazing journey with her. We have learnt so much from our journey because of so much of the work we have put in together," Crasto reflected.
It will require a herculean effort from the Crasto-Ponnappa pair to get close to a podium finish in Paris. But one can never count them out, and Indian fans should hope for the best.