Lakshya Sen’s big ambition to become India’s torchbearer at the Paris Olympics in 2024

Badminton News: Lakshya Sen just played the smoothest net shot, dribbling over the white rope at too steep an angle for Anthony Sinisuka Ginting to come back. Lakshya was on the gridiron at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, after pushing India to a 10-point lead, a gain that would catalyze the country’s historic win over 14-time winners Indonesia in the FIFA World Cup final. Thomas Cup last year.

Almost a year has passed since the inaugural Thomas Cup victory in India, and Lakshya Sen has established himself as the torchbearer of Indian badminton. He is a confident young man who alternates effortlessly between dizzying success and a normal life. Her Instagram feed is filled with images giving her fans access to her jet-setting life where she “is just me.”

Lakshya Sen hails from the small town of Almora in Uttarakhand, which seems far from the hustle and bustle of Bengaluru, where he has been training at Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy since he was 10 years old.

“I was very reluctant to allow Lakshya to leave the house. He was only 10 years old at the time. Obviously, as a father, I worry about the negative influence he could have in a big city. Fortunately, Lakshya is a disciplined boy and has only focused on badminton all these years,” his father DK Sen told Sportsstar in 2018.

Currently, India has three players in the world top 25: HS Prannoy (9), Srikanth (22) and Lakshya (23). Among them, 21-year-old Lakshya promises to be the face of the sport in the next decade.

At 30, Prannoy and Srikanth could still have a few seasons to play. Lakshya has shown his skill and tenacity by beating some of the biggest names in the game. He is known for analyzing his game well, having a pragmatic approach to training and taking his match days more seriously than some of his seniors in the past. He has an excellent coach in Vimal Kumar, an ideal training environment in Bengaluru and valuable input from capable support staff.

These days, Lakshya Sen is aiming for a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The defending Commonwealth Games champion is focused on advancing his ranking from a career-best No.1. November 6 then became the 23rd.

Since winning the Commonwealth Games title last August, Lakshya’s consistency has plummeted. A severe throat and stomach infection had undermined his immunity. For these health reasons, she had to choose a different diet and had to deal with several distractions. But things are slowly starting to fall into place.

“The immediate goal is to use the domestic trials for the Asian Games to be in good shape for the upcoming Asian circuit involving the Opens in Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia,” Lakshya said, continuing: “I’m not too focused on the ranking at the moment. If I go deeper into these four events, I think my ranking will sort itself out.

“I also plan to play in the United States and Canada in July and August before going to Japan and Korea. The World Championships and the Asian Games will follow. That will be the real test,” said a determined Lakshya, eager to make up for lost time.

After having experienced several health setbacks, Lakshya Sen is now more cautious.

“When you come back from an infection and choose a new nutritional chart, your body needs time to recover. I focus on my preparation without neglecting my health and fitness.

Regarding the season and beyond, Lakshya said, “I will try my best to do well in every international tournament. Personally, I have several performance goals. But if I play well, the results show. I have to avoid injuries and health problems.

The main objective is of course the Parisian podium, but Lakshya Sen knows that his national team elders will not give up easily.

“Before next year’s cut, I have to be in the top 16 in the world. As only two players from a given country will come out of the top 16, I’m sure that Srikanth and Prannoy will also do their best in the qualifying race. They are my elders and they have a lot of experience, but I will focus on the goals I have set for myself.

Despite his age, Lakshya Sen has more experience than his peers. His attitude on the pitch, quick thinking and keen anticipation made him a formidable player.

Lakshya’s elimination from the tournament since last August has helped Prannoy and Srikanth rise through the ranks. After winning gold at the Commonwealth Games and reaching the quarter-finals of the World Championships in August, Lakshya has faced a series of disappointing results. She was eliminated in the first round of the Japan Open, French Open and Hylo Open, with her best performance being the quarter-finals of the 2022 Danish Open.

Also this year, in six events of the BWF calendar, Lakshya could not pass the second round in these five events. The only positive is the participation in the quarter-finals of the Indonesian Masters 2023.

“When I analyze my results, I see areas where I need to improve. I believe in trial and error. There were times when I realized I lost because I had tried something new. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. If it works, I will develop. If not, I will change it. I take a lot of positives from every game.

His interactions with coach Vimal and sports psychologist/mental trainer Gayatri Vartak play a big role in keeping him in touch with reality. “On top of that, over the past six months, I understand my body a lot better. Now that I have a new nutritional plan, I try even harder to take care of my health.

What about Padukone’s advice? “Mr. Prakash is amazing. He always knows what’s going on with my game, in addition to keeping track of events in the world of badminton. He kept reminding me, “Trust the process; the results will come.

Over the years I approached him with any problem I had, anything, and he was always there to help. I bonded well with him since I was very young. So that familiarity really helps.

Despite his age, Lakshya Sen has more experience than his peers. His attitude on the pitch, quick thinking and keen anticipation made him a formidable player.

“When I’m doing well, I think about playing and beating players like Viktor Axelsen or Loh Kean Yew. I see the game as an opportunity to learn. I’m confident that I’ll get back in shape and in peak physical condition before the tournament. main event of this year.

Keywords: Lakshya Sen, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Paris 2024 Olympics

Chad Hardy

"Social media fanatic. Problem solver. Bacon ninja. Communicator. Alcohol evangelist."

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