Young shuttler Lakshya Sen narrowly missed out on the bronze medal at Paris Olympics on Monday, losing to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia in a thrilling three-game match. Despite this, he made history as the first Indian men’s shuttler to reach both the semifinals and the bronze medal match.
Reflecting on the performance, Indian coach Prakash Padukone expressed disappointment. Padukone said, “He played well. I am a little disappointed that he could not finish it. He was in a winning position in the first game yesterday, which could have made a difference. Today, after winning the first game, he was leading 8-3 in the second.”
Indian players prefer a slower surface
Discussing the playing conditions, Padukone remarked, “Lakshya has always been a little uncomfortable playing on faster surfaces or with the wind. He needs to work more on that. He was low on confidence, and there are a few areas we definitely need to improve.”
Padukone disappointed with overall performance
Reflecting on the overall performance of Indian shuttlers, Padukone said, “I am disappointed that we could not win a single medal in badminton. This time, the government, SAI (Sports Authority of India), and TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) have all done their bit.”
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