Lakshya Sen’s Olympic Journey: A Tale of Promise and Missed Opportunity
At the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024, Indian badminton star Lakshya Sen showcased his immense talent, winning five consecutive matches before falling short in the final two, ultimately finishing fourth in the men’s singles event. Reflecting on his performance, Lakshya has identified a crucial factor that contributed to the shift in momentum during his bronze medal match.
In the semi-final, Lakshya faced eventual gold medalist Viktor Axelsen, leading by five and seven points in the first and second sets, respectively. However, he lost both sets, a setback that he attributes to unforced errors. “In crucial situations, I could’ve played differently,” he admitted. “I didn’t play well at all in the end, and there were a lot of unforced shots. I needed to be a bit more patient.”
In the bronze medal match against Lee Zii Jia, Lakshya won the opening game but lost the subsequent two. He pinpointed a specific area of the court as a contributing factor. “In the second game, that side of the court had some drift,” he explained. “Even after the lead, I knew I couldn’t control the shuttle. And then the momentum suddenly changed, and he started playing better.”
Despite the disappointment of not medaling, Lakshya remains optimistic about the future. “Overall, in how I played, there were some things I was happy and proud about at Paris,” he said. “But this is gonna hurt for some time. I’m looking to add and change a lot of things moving forward.”
Lakshya’s journey at the Paris Olympics serves as a testament to his potential and the challenges he faces. At just 23 years old, he has time on his side to improve and potentially become an Olympic medalist in the future. Even Viktor Axelsen, the reigning Olympic champion, has praised Lakshya’s abilities, predicting that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.
