Lakshya Sen’s heartbreaking fourth-place finish at the Paris Olympics 2024 shattered India’s hopes of a badminton medal. The 22-year-old shuttler’s devastating loss to Viktor Axelsen in the semifinals and Lee Zii Jia in the bronze-medal match left a bitter taste in the mouths of Indian fans.
Sen’s journey to the semifinals was nothing short of remarkable. Despite having his first-round win against Kevin Cordon “deleted” due to the Guatemalan’s injury, he fought his way through a series of tough opponents, including Julien Carraggi, Jonatan Christie, HS Prannoy, and Chou Tien-Chen.
However, in the semifinals against Axelsen, Sen’s momentum faltered. He squandered three game points in the first game and a 7-0 lead in the second, handing the match to the Danish star.
A day later, with the bronze medal still within reach, Sen seemed poised to secure a podium finish. He won the first game against Lee, but a disastrous second game, in which he lost nine straight points, opened the door for the Malaysian. Lee capitalized on Sen’s lapse and sealed the victory, ending India’s 12-year streak of winning at least one Olympic medal in badminton.
Sen’s coach, Prakash Padukone, was brutally honest in his assessment of the shuttler’s performance. He urged Lakshya and other Indian players to take more responsibility and highlighted the need for a stricter approach. Padukone’s strictness was evident in his decision to confiscate Sen’s phone during the Olympics.
Despite the disappointment, Sen remains optimistic about the future. He acknowledged the learning experience and expressed his determination to improve. Axelsen himself predicted that Sen could be a strong contender for gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
