PV Sindhu aims at improving world ranking ahead of Rio Olympics

Kolkata: She might have missed out on a historic hat-trick of medals in the recent World Championship, but India number two shuttler P V Sindhu on Thursday said her target was to improve her ranking ahead of the Olympics qualification cut-off date in May next year.

"Getting a medal at Olympics is obviously the ultimate target but I'm going step by step and my focus is on the back to back BWF Super Series in Korea and Japan in September which will help me in improving my ranking," Sindhu said here at a ceremony to felicitate her.

Double World Championships bronze medallist Sindhu registered one of the biggest wins of her career when she ousted London Olympics champion Li Xuerui of China to enter the quarterfinal in this year's edition at Jakarta.

The 20-year-old Indian's dream run, however, ended in the quarterfinals after going down to Korea's Sung Ji Hyun.

"I was a bit sad from inside but at the same time I was very happy to have beaten an Olympic champion," the world number 14 said.

Sindhu was presented the JN Award for outstanding performance in the field of sport by the Cacutta Chamber of Commerce besides a cash prize of Rs 100,000.

The felicitation ceremony, attended by the Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari and West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, was held on the sidelines of CCC's 184th annual general meeting here today.