PV Sindhu leads Olympic Day celebrations in India
The badminton star is also learning to cook and keep calm during lockdown mode. Saina Nehwal, Sushil Kumar also shared their thoughts on Olympics.
Rio 2016 silver medallist PV Sindhu was one of India’s representatives in the Olympics’ global initiative of working out with athletes from around the world on the occasion of Olympic Day.
June 23 is recognized as Olympic Day, and it celebrates Olympic values and acts as a platform to promote participation in sport, regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.
The Indian badminton star, currently at home in Hyderabad, performed several high-intensity workouts, including burpees, jumping jacks and squat jumps, for half-an-hour and had a word of advice on how to remain fit and positive in these testing times.
“This is a great time to learn new things. Yes, I do miss badminton, but it is important to keep the mind occupied and it helps you keep going,” PV Sindhu stated in the live session on the Olympics’ Instagram channel.
“I have been learning to cook and would also tell people to meditate daily. It helps you keep calm and it makes you think.
“It has been a great workout on Olympic Day and I’m very grateful that I got to do it with you guys,” she added.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, meanwhile, was seen in the pre-recorded Olympic Day executing tricep dips. You can watch the video here.
Many other star Indian athletes also took to social media to celebrate the occasion.
Upholding Olympic values
On the occasion, Olympic medallists from India – Saina Nehwal and Sushil Kumar remembered how winning the medal changed their lives and how hard they worked to achieve that dream.
Meanwhile, Sydney 2000 bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari and track-and-field queen PT Usha called on people to uphold the sportsmanship spirit and come together on the day.
‘Aim high, work hard’
Other Olympians including Indian table tennis star Achanta Sharath Kamal and Indian luger Shiva Keshavan advised people to set their goals high, dream big and strive to work on achieving it.
‘Not always about winning’
Indian hockey goalkeeper and former captain PR Sreejesh explained how it was the strive to do better and not winning was all that mattered sometimes.