PV Sindhu had already achieved several milestones in badminton before arriving at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. She had an Olympic silver medal, a World Championship title and multiple international
honours to her name. However, one major achievement was still missing from her collection which was a Commonwealth Games women’s singles gold medal.
On August 8, 2022, Sindhu finally completed that mission by defeating Canada’s Michelle Li in the women’s singles final. The Indian shuttler won 21-15, 21-13 in straight games at the National Exhibition Centre, securing her maiden Commonwealth Games singles gold.
PV Sindhu’s journey to the gold medal match
The Birmingham Games marked another opportunity for Sindhu to add to her Commonwealth Games medal collection. She had previously won bronze at Glasgow 2014 and silver at Gold Coast 2018, where she lost to compatriot Saina Nehwal in the final.
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In 2022, Sindhu entered the competition as one of the leading contenders and progressed through the knockout rounds. She defeated Uganda’s Husina Kobugabe in the round of 16 before overcoming Malaysia’s Goh Jin Wei in a three-game quarter-final. She then beat Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min in straight games to book her place in the final. However, the Indian faced a slight fitness concern heading into the title clash, with her left ankle heavily strapped. Despite the discomfort, she was determined to finish the campaign with gold.
PV Sindhu dominates Michelle Li in the final
Standing between Sindhu and the title was Canada’s Michelle Li, a former Commonwealth Games champion. The Canadian had won gold in the women’s singles at Glasgow 2014, making her a challenging opponent. Sindhu started confidently but had to work hard as Li attempted to stay in contention during the opening game. The Indian eventually took control and secured it 21-15. She carried that momentum into the second game, producing a series of attacking shots and powerful smashes to put Li under pressure.
The Canadian tried to fight back, including during a remarkable 57-shot rally, but Sindhu maintained her composure. She eventually wrapped up the second game 21-13 to seal the gold medal. The victory was particularly special because it was Sindhu’s first Commonwealth Games women’s singles gold after finishing with bronze and silver in her previous two appearances. It also marked her first singles gold at a multi-sport event.
