PARUPALLI Kashyap overcame a bout of complacency to win the gold medal in the men’s badminton singles on the last day of the Commonwealth Games on Sunday (August 3).
The 27-year-old came from behind in the deciding game to beat Singapore’s Derek Wong 21-14 11-21 21-19 and become the first Indian man to win badminton gold at the Games for 32 years.
After taking the first game, the Indian shuttler admitted to under-estimating his opponent.
But Wong came back in the second game to win it 21-11 but it was neck and neck in the final game. Parupalli eventually took it from 19-19 in 61 minutes before ripping off his shirt in one of the most excited celebrations of the Games.
'I'm so happy,' said the 27-year-old. 'This championship means such a lot to me. These Games come every four years and that's what drove me on.
'I knew when I came into the tournament I wanted the gold medal. I have not played up to my ability but I've made it through.
'I won the first set comfortably and there was no fight in him but in the second set he showed why he reached the final. I started to be more aggressive and I am just so happy for me and for my country.
"I have got four or five years left and now I want big medals and big championships."
