Despite a hip and ankle injury, Danielle Whiteside won bronze in the badminton women’s singles event.

Her fighting spirit was an inspiration to those watching the match yesterday.

“I was very emotional and frustrated with my injury limiting my movements on court, so I just thought about my family, my country at that very moment.

“I told myself to keep pushing through and fight every shot by playing smart, stay calm, one point at a time and eventually the pain subsided and I became more positive and focused,” Whiteside said.

After the bronze medal win, it was back to the medical room to recover.

In the women’s doubles, Karyn Gibson and Andra Whiteside won silver.

They lost to Johanna Kou and Dgeniva Matauli  21-17  21-13.

This is Kou’s third Pacific Games gold medal in the Women’s Doubles after winning the event in 2007 and 2011.

In the mixed doubles, Gibson and Burty Molia had to settle for silver to Tahiti’s golden boy, Rémi Rossi.

Tahiti  won 21-12  21-12.

The badminton competition concluded yesterday. Players return home today.

From tomorrow, the Multi-Sports centre Faleata will host the netball competition.

-Edited by Sheldon Chanel

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