"I am determined to introspect on what went wrong" - Lakshya Sen after Paris Olympics exit
Yesterday, August 5, Lakshya Sen ended his Paris Olympics 2024 campaign. The 22-year-old Indian shuttler was just a step away from a bronze medal but he succumbed to a defeat at the hands of Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia. Even after leading in the first game, Sen went down to Jia, who registered a brilliant comeback in the next two games to ultimately outwit Sen 13-21, 21-16, 21-11.
Lakshya Sen, along with other athletes, was heavily criticized by his mentor Prakash Padukone. The badminton legend urged players to introspect their games and give more in order to fetch a medal at the Olympics, as they have defeated similar opponents in other tournaments.
Sen, who dominated the entirety of the Paris Olympics and even registered a brilliant comeback in the quarter-finals, only struggled against Viktor Axelsen, who ultimately bagged the gold.
Following the setback, the young Indian shuttler took to social media to share a message with his fans. He wrote:
"My journey at the Paris 2024 Olympics has been both an honor and a heartbreak. I gave my all, fought with every ounce of strength, but fell just short of the podium. I am very grateful to all the supporters for their unwavering support."
He further said that he will introspect his performance and that he requests some privacy at the moment. He wrote:
"I am determined to reflect and introspect on what went wrong and where I need to bring a change. To this, I sincerely request space and privacy at this point in time so that I can regroup, come back in top form and win laurels for India."
Lakshya Sen thanks his mentors despite criticism
Lakshya Sen, even though was criticized heavily by his mentor Prakash Padukone, thanked him and the rest of his team for their support.
Sen concluded:
"I am eternally grateful to my incredible team, Vimal Sir Prakash Sir and my father for their relentless support, my family for being my strength, Badminton Association of India, Sports Authority of India, Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy, OGQ India, Red Bull India and everyone associated with my journey."
Even though Lakshya Sen failed to win a medal, he earned the praise of gold medalist and top shuttler Viktor Axelsen, who claimed Sen to be the next best.