Lakshya Sen: India’s Young Prodigy Transcending Borders
Young Indian shuttler Lakshy Sen scripted history on Friday becoming the first-ever men’s singles badminton player to qualify for the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics 2024.
The 22-year-old defeated Chinese Taipei’s Chou Tien-Chen 19-21, 21-15, 21-12 in the quarter-finals. The previous best for India in the men’s singles badminton tournament at the Olympics was Parupalli Kashyap in London (2012) and Kidambi Srikanth in Rio (2016), both bowing out in the quarter-finals.
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Born in 2001, the young shuttler is known for his attacking instincts and powerful smashes. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, Sen had spent eight months recovering from surgery on his nose in August last year. It was a major struggle for the young lad to qualify for Paris 2024 and stay focused.
Lakshya’s achievements include winning gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and silver at the 2022 Asian Games, demonstrating his talent on the international stage. In the 2021 World Championships, he won the bronze medal, thereby, solidifying his place among India’s top badminton players.
He has also played a major role in India’s historic 2022 Thomas Cup victory, contributing significantly to the team’s success. His consistent performance and growth earned him a career-high ranking of no. 6 globally.
Sen’s impressive win at the 2022 India Open and the 2023 Canada Open, has proven himself a formidable competitor in the badminton circuit.
In 2016, the prodigious talent became the youngest to reach the Indian national men’s singles final at 15. He was also ranked world number 1 in juniors.
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This concludes that Lakshya Sen’s ascent in the world of badminton has been nothing short of spectacular. Hailing from Almora, Uttarakhand, Sen’s journey from a promising junior to a global sensation is a testament to his talent, hard work, and unwavering dedication.
Though the young star was unable to claim any major title this year, Sen’s recent performances indicate that he is a strong contender for future championships and remains a formidable force in world badminton.
