Success paves Ashwini's path to London

BANGALORE: Karnataka shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa believes in keeping things simple. Whether it's her approach to the Olympics - her maiden one where she will partner the seasoned Jwala Gutta in women's doubles - or acknowledging the hard work and sacrifice that has paved her path to London.
The 22-year-old shuttler is one of those rare athletes determined to put in the effort and let the results speak for themselves.Quiet but confident, she is the yin to her partner's yang and the balancing force in what has slowly become a formidable partnership over the past three years.
"I'm happy that people expect us to win a medal in the Olympics," Ashwini told TOI on Friday. "Our goal as a team will be to take one game at a time and give it our best. A lot depends on how players shape up ahead of each match and how they play on a given day. Our goal will be to stay focused," she added.
After excelling in the Commonwealth Games in 2010, where the pair won gold, Ashwini and Jwala cemented their status as medal hopes when they clinched bronze in the 2011 World Championships in London. "The Olympics is a huge deal for us," said Ashwini, excited at the prospect of revisiting the setting of their most famous result.
"It is a massive event in any sportsperson's life and I'm happy to be part of it. It means a lot to my family. My participation is reward not just for all the hard work I have put in, but also for the efforts and sacrifices my parents have made. It's been a long and wonderful journey," she said.
Explaining the kinds of sacrifices that go into making a champion, Ashwini said: "Both my mum and dad work but had to devote a lot of time for me, especially to pick me up after school or practice. There were days when my dad would take off from work to support me during tournaments. My parents never pressured me with regard to studies. Most sportspersons do make a lot of sacrifices but in my case, I realized that I get to do what I love, which is to play and represent my country."
The student of St Mary's College, Hyderabad, left Bangalore in 2009 to train under Syed Mohammed Arif at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Indoor Stadium and Edwin Iriawan at Gopichand Academy at Gachibowli. But the decision to pair Jwala was a tough one to make initially. "Nitya Sosale and I had won four national titles and we were a potent combination when Jwala asked me to partner her," said Ashwini, adding that she never expected to be approached.
After a quick chat with former national coach and chief trainer at Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy U Vimal Kimar, Ashwini was ready to dedicate herself to the pursuit of excellence. "Vimal sir helped me greatly. He said it would be good to partner a talented shuttler like Jwala and that we could do well together. We formed a team with no specific target other than playing well," said the right-hander.
What blossomed was not just a fruitful partnership but a close friendship, which is vital for success at any level. "Doubles is all about good rapport both on and off the court. If you don't share a good friendship off the court then it is reflected on the court. What works in our case is that we both are good friends so it helps our badminton," said Ashwini.