Indian shuttlers have made their mark in the sport. They are consistently named among the top ranked players of the world. These badminton stars have engraved their names in the memories of their faithful ones. However, not all athletes can deliver in every single tournament they participate in. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa have become household names among those who follow the sport. The duo is fondly regarded as India’s golden pair in Women’s Badminton.

The pair has many laurels to their name but over the course of time their former reputation has far overshadowed their dicey performances. Despite numerous let downs, they have managed to book a place for them in Rio de Janeiro.

Qualification

The pair barely managed to match the qualification criteria for Rio. Since qualification their ranking has been on another downward curve as it slipped to 21 from 15 at the time of qualification. The pair has loads to work on as they would aim to provide a better show at the Olympics.

Earning the spotlight

Ever since Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa got together for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, the two have been a force to reckon with. They won the gold at the Commonwealth games, followed it up with a bronze at the World Championships in 2011. They even put a top-notch performance at the London Olympics in 2012 but controversy got the better of them, resulting in elimination.

The pair continued its stellar show at major events winning a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. They also won a gold at the South Asian Games earlier this year.

Route to Rio

Apart from the right reasons, the golden pair has made it to the news for various unwanted attention in the build up to Rio Olympic Games. Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponappa also achieved their best ranking in 2015 as they climbed to tenth spot in August. They had their ups and downs throughout 2015 and were initially left out of the Target Olympic Podium scheme (TOPS) for Indian athletes.

In spite of the struggles, they continued to perform on the court and their efforts were soon rewarded with inclusion in the TOP scheme. Soon after their inclusion in the TOP scheme, the performances once again took a down turn. The final quarter of 2015 has been a rather disappointing phase in the playing careers of both Gutta and Ponnappa. The once known golden pair was consistently ousted from all major tournaments in the very first round in six of the seven tournaments since September, French Open being the only exception.

Apart from the gold medal at the South Asian Games, it has been a dull year for the golden pair. The two managed to win twelve matches and lose another twelve this year. 

Medal Quest

The recent showings certainly raise questions, whether the once known golden pair can deliver a medal to their country. However, Gutta-Ponappa are the best shuttlers India have for a shot at the women’s doubles Olympic medal in Rio. The Olympic medal has left a void in the trophy cabinet of these shuttlers that they might want to fill.