Securing a silver medal in the men’s singles badminton competition at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore marked the beginning of HS Prannoy’s remarkable journey. Now at 31, he has risen to prominence as one of India’s leading badminton players. After his first-ever podium finish in both World Championships and Asian Games in 2023, HS Prannoy is all set for Paris 2024.
HS Prannoy wins silver medal in inaugural Youth Olympics in 2010
Prannoy’s career trajectory is marked by achievements that set a high standard and will be hard to emulate. With a strong junior-level background, he secured a bronze medal at the 2010 Guadalajara Junior World Championships.
However, Prannoy’s true breakthrough came with his silver medal win in Boys’ singles at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. In the final showdown, Prannoy faced a tough challenge against Thailand’s Pisit Poodchalat, ultimately settling for the silver medal with a 15-21, 16-21 scoreline in a 40-minute-long match.
Hailing from Kerala, Prannoy showcased an impressive journey to the final, overcoming top-seeded Korean Ji Wook Kang in the semifinals after dominating the group stage and defeating Feng Tse Sheih of Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals. Despite the final loss, Prannoy’s stellar performance at the Youth Olympics remains a testament to his skill and determination in the badminton arena.
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HS Parannoy’s comeback in 2023:
In a standout year, HS Prannoy achieved a major milestone in 2023 by clinching his maiden Super 500 title in Malaysia. Notably, he progressed to the quarter-finals in the 2023 Badminton Asia Championships, followed by semi-final appearances in Indonesia, and quarter-final finishes in Chinese Taipei and Japan. The Australia Open saw Prannoy as the runner-up, adding another impressive feat to his season.
Prannoy made history by ending India’s 41-year medal drought in the men’s singles individual event at the Asian Games, securing the second-ever medal for India in the category, following in the footsteps of Syed Modi. Despite reaching a career-high rank of world no. 6, the current world no. 8 faced disappointment as he fell short of qualifying for the BWF World Tour Finals 2023.
Prannoy’s remarkable season was marked by the challenges of injuries. Despite winning a bronze medal at the Asian Games while grappling with a back injury, he had to withdraw from two consecutive Super 750 tournaments (Denmark Open and French Open). Additionally, Prannoy opted out of the month-long European leg of the BWF World Tour following the Asian Games. Unfortunately, the missed opportunities in the European leg impacted his chances of securing a spot in the top eight.
It’s plausible that without the setbacks of injuries, Prannoy could have easily secured a place among the top eight. Unfortunately, the points accumulated from the BWF World Tour 2023 tournaments weren’t sufficient to meet the criteria, leading to his exclusion from the season-ending tournament. Nonetheless, his overall performance in the season, accumulating 71,020 points, underscores a remarkable campaign as he looks forward to Paris 2024.
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