Paris Olympics: Lakshya Sen, 22, has emerged as the brand new poster boy of Indian badminton. Making headlines for his no-look backhand shot, he targets to construct on his previous victories to make a mark at the global level.
Lakshya Sen’s meteoric upward push within the badminton global has cemented him as the brand new poster boy of Indian sports activities. The emerging superstar not too long ago secured a convincing victory towards Prannoy H S, some other nationwide hero, on the Paris Olympics. With this win, Lakshya stormed to the quarterfinals of the boys’s singles badminton event.
This triumph etched his title in Indian badminton historical past, making him India’s 3rd male participant to achieve the quarterfinals of the Olympic badminton pageant.
Recently ranked 22, Lakshya will face a powerful opponent within the quarterfinals: twelfth seed Chou Tien Chen from Chinese language Taipei. As the approaching fit (on 2 August, 2024) guarantees to be an exhilarating come across, Lakshya stays assured. “I believe having difficult suits offers you self belief. I’m now in a position to head deep into the event. It’ll be a tough fit towards Chou,” he advised NDTV Sports activities.
Ahead of his face-off with Prannoy, the 22-year-old sensation from Almora, Uttarakhand, made headlines for defeating Indonesia’s global quantity 3 Jonathan Christie on the Paris Video games. The fit highlighted a jaw-dropping no-look backhand shot by way of Lakshya that left each audience and fighters in awe.
Anand Mahindra, chairman of Mahindra Staff, took to ‘X’ to reward Lakshya with a pinch of humour. “If I have been his opponent, I’d cry foul and document a swimsuit, claiming that I used to be faced by way of an unnatural opponent who possessed 3 palms,” he quipped, sharing a video by way of The Higher India.
Born in 2001, the younger shuttler is understood for his attacking instincts and strong smashes. Lakshya’s achievements come with profitable gold on the 2022 Commonwealth Video games and silver on the 2022 Asian Video games, demonstrating his skill at the world level. He additionally earned a bronze medal on the 2021 Global Championships, solidifying his position amongst India’s most sensible badminton gamers.
Lakshya additionally performed a key function in India’s historical 2022 Thomas Cup victory, contributing considerably to the workforce’s luck. His agility and ability have earned him a career-high rating of No. 6 on the planet, reflecting his constant efficiency and enlargement. With spectacular wins on the 2022 India Open and the 2023 Canada Open, he has confirmed himself a powerful competitor within the badminton circuit.
The prodigious skill was the youngest participant to achieve the Indian nationwide males’s singles ultimate in 2016 at simply 15, surpassing his mentor Prakash Padukone. He used to be additionally ranked global #1 in juniors. Over time, he has reworked into one of the most most sensible younger badminton gamers. He has additionally advanced technically, making improvements to his defence and internet dribbles, changing into a extra well-rounded all-court participant.
With enthusiasts rooting for him, Lakshya is decided to construct on his spectacular monitor report and make his mark at the global level as he units his attractions on long term victories.
Edited by way of Pranita Bhat