Rio Olympics 2016: Sachin Tendulkar thanks countrymen for backing athletes ahead of PV Sindhu's final

New Delhi: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Friday thanked the countrymen for backing the Indian athletes participating in the Rio Olympics, saying all sportspersons need support when chips are down. Fielding its biggest ever contingent at the Olympic Games, India has pocketed just one bronze medal so far, far away from the double digit medal hope as predicted before the Games. [caption id=“attachment_2965424” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Sachin Tendulkar. Image Courtesy: Rugby Sevens Twitter[/caption] In the last Olympics in London, India registered their best ever medal haul of six. But Tendulkar, who was in Rio in the opening half of the Games to boost the confidence of Indian contingent in his role as a goodwill ambassador, feels athletes need support in their hour of crisis. “Few results have not been to our liking but in sports there is always ups and downs. I am thankful to the entire nation for staying behind our athletes and supporting them,” he said. “If things are not going our way we need to find ways to make things better. That can only happen if we continue to give them support,” Tendulkar said at the sidelines of Fifth Healthcare Access Summit - ‘ACT on NCDs’ — at a city hotel here. Tendulkar also praised wrestler Sakshi Malik who won India’s first medal in Rio when she bagged a historic bronze in the women’s 58kg category. “I am really happy for Sakshi. She has really done well and made the country proud,” he said. Tendulkar is also eagerly waiting for Indian shuttler P V Sindhu’s women’s singles gold medal match against world no 1 Carolina Marin of Spain later this evening. “I am extremely happy and excited about Sindhu’s match today. I don’t want to miss that and will be praying for her success,” said Tendulkar, who is Changing Diabetes Ambassador of pharmaceutical major Nova Nordisk.