Akula Sreeja dedicated her success to parents and coaches who played key roles in her growth
She along with Achanta Sharath Kamal scripted history by bagging India’s first-ever mixed doubles gold at the Commonwealth Games
The 24-year-old said winning India’s first mixed gold at CWG was very satisfying
Hours before the summit clash, Sreeja suffered a setback losing her bronze medal match in a close contest
But she recovered quickly to emerge champion
Sreeja never focused on mixed doubles event in her career before CWG
My parents sacrificed a lot for me and my coach Somnath Ghosh has been working with me for the last 11 years
I didn’t play many mixed doubles matches before it
But I am happy to return with gold,” she said on her return to the city from Birmingham