Saina Nehwal's preparation for the 2012 London Games received a shot in the arm on Saturday with the ace shuttler signing a contract with Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ).
The badminton sensation signed a three-year deal with OGQ to join ace shooter Gagan Narang and four-time World Boxing Champion M C Mary Kom who also have contracts with the non-profit sports foundation.
Saina is the first Indian to win a Super Series event when she triumphed at the Indonesian Open in Jakarta earlier this year.
She is also the first Indian woman to reach the singles quarter-finals at the Beijing Olympics and the first Indian to win the Junior World Badminton Championship in 2008.
An elated Saina said she was looking forward to a fruitful relation, especially when former India hockey captain Viren Rasquinha is the COO of OGQ.
"I'm looking forward to working with Olympic Gold Quest and I'm sure that they will look after me very well. The presence of Viren is crucial because being an international hockey player himself, he has an inherent understanding of all sports and he understands the level of preparation that I need," Saina said.
"Also I have been very impressed with the professionalism that Olympic Gold Quest has shown with Indian men's badminton players Guru Sai Dutt and P Kashyap who train with me at the Gopichand Academy," added the Hyderabadi.
Rasquinha too sounded upbeat about the development and said, "Saina's achievements speak for themselves. She is a wonderful role model for all sportspersons in the country. We are delighted to get this opportunity to work closely with her and help her win an Olympic gold medal for the country."
Badminton legend and co-founder Prakash Padukone said, "There is no doubt in my mind that Saina has what it takes to be an Olympic champion. She must remained focused and take care of her fitness. Her mental strength and self belief are key assets."
