Commonwealth Games: Singapore bronze in badminton

IN A thrilling third place play-off, Singapore clinched the bronze medal in the badminton team event with a 3-2 win over India at The Emirates Arena.

Singapore (top) celebrate victory in their women's doubles match over Ashwini Ponnappa and Jwala Gutta of India. Picture: Getty

It all came down to the final women’s doubles match and Shinta Mulia Sari and Lei Yao eventually clinched the victory on the sixth match point against Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa.

Singapore’s Danny Chrisnanti and Vanessa Neo had taken the first mixed doubles point for Singapore but Kashyap Parupalli then made it all square with a win in the men’s singles.

Chrisnanti and Chayd Triyachart then put Singapore ahead again after the men’s doubles only for P V Sindhu to draw level by defeating Xiaoyu Liang in a close women’s singles.

So it all hinged on the women’s doubles – and it turned into an incredibly tense affair. From 19-all in the second game fortunes swung to and fro but Sari and Lei held their nerve and finally for the job done 21-17 29-27.

Singapore were the No.4 seeds, one behind India, and the victory sparked emotional celebrations.