Mumbai: Two-time Olympic Games medallist P.V Sindhu has separated from Korean coach Park Tae-sang, who helped her win medals at Tokyo Olympics and Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Sindhu, who had missed a major portion of the 2022 season due to an injury and recently returned to action in January, will now train with Malaysian former All-England champion Muhammad Hafiz Hashim at the Suchitra Badminton Academy in Hyderabad.
Hafiz, who lifted the All-England title in 2003, has signed a two-year contract with the Hyderabad-based academy and will be responsible for guiding the men’s and women’s singles players there. Sindhu is a product of the Sudhitra Badminton Academy, and will be undergoing training there for one or two days a week, reports said.
Hafiz Hashim is expected to help Sindhu in preparing for the All-England Badminton Championship from March 14-19.
Though Sindhu has not said anything on this issue, Park Tae-Sang put out a statement on social media to clarify his position. His statement proves that the reason for their decision to part ways is the dip in form and indifferent results of the India player, ranked ninth in the BWF Rankings.
He said Sindhu wanted a change and decided to find a new coach.
“She has made disappointing moves in all recent matches, and as a coach, I feel responsible.
“So, she wanted a change and she said she would find a new coach. I decided to respect and follow her decision,” Park Tae-Sang said in a post on his Twitter handle.
Park expressed his disappointment at not being able to be with Sindhu till the next Olympics in Paris in 2024.
“I’m sorry that I can’t be with her until the next Olympics, but now I’m going to support her from afar,” Park said.
Park said he had extended his stay in his native South Korea because of his father’s illness.
“I came back to Hyderabad a few days ago. And I want to say thank you to everyone who worried about my father. To be honest my father’s condition is not good yet. So I felt heavy walking back to India,” said Park Tae-Sang.
He said he will remember every moment with her (Sindhu). “I would like to thank everyone who has been supporting and encouraging me,” said Park, who has taken over as Sindhu’s coach in 2020 after she decided to leave the Pullela Gopichand Academy and try out things on her own.
Park is credited with improving Sindhu’s defence in the court, which has helped her do well at the Tokyo Olympics, winning a bronze medal, and a gold in the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham in 2022.
Park became Sindhu’s coach after she won the gold at the world championships in 2019 after her previous coach Kim Ji-Hyun, left the role.
Park has already started training some junior players at Hyderabad.
