Lakshya Sen, the first Indian to advance to the Olympic semi-finals of men’s singles badminton tournament, faced a defeat from world no. 2 Viktor Axelsen during the semifinals in Paris Olympics, 2024 while the young shuttler lost to Lee Zii Jia, Malaysian shuttler in the bronze medal match.
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Ranveer Singh supports Lakshya Sen
Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani star Ranveer Singh took to his instagram to support Lakshya after his debacle in the summer olympics in Paris. The actor praised Lakshya’s performance, emphasizing his endurance, agility, range of shots, focus and grit.
The appreciation note from Ranveer Singh read, “What a player! What endurance, What agility, What a range of shots, What focus, What grit, What smarts, Scintillating badminton on display! It’s difficult to encapsulate just how brilliant he’s been at the olympics.” The actor also added that, “Missed out narrowly in a game of extremely small margins. But he’s only 22 and he’s just getting started.” Ranveer’s supportive comments came in light of father-in-law Prakash Padukone’s critique, where Padukone called for Indian shuttlers to introspect and take more responsibility for their performances.
Prakash Padukone’s dismal for Lakshya Sen’s Olympic defeat
Ranveer Singh’s father-in-law Prakash Padukone, first Indian to win the All England Open Badminton Champion expressed disappointment over Sen’s loss in the bronze medal match at the Paris 2024 Olympics, emphasizing that the players need to take responsibility for their performances rather than solely relying on support from federations and facilities. He acknowledged the comprehensive support provided by the government, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and other stakeholders, but stressed that it was time for athletes to step up and deliver results.
Ashwini Ponnappa’s reply to Prakash Padukone for slamming Lakshya Sen
Indian shuttler Ashwini Ponnappa Machimanda strongly responded to Prakash Padukone’s criticism of Lakshya Sen after his olympic debacle. Ponnappa asked, “Why aren’t coaches held responsible for lack of preparation and getting the player ready?”
She emphasized that it is unfair to “push the player under the bus” after a loss, arguing that criticism should be constructive rather than demoralizing.
Abhinav Bindra supports Lakshya Sen
Abhinav Apjit Bindra, rifle shooter and Indian Olympic gold medalist voiced his support for Lakshya Sen and other Indian athletes following criticism from Prakash Padukone regarding their performance at the Paris Olympics. Bindra emphasized the extraordinary challenge of competing in the Olympics and praised the dedication and sacrifices of the athletes. He highlighted the importance of recognizing the efforts of not just the athletes, but also their coaches, support staff, and families, urging everyone to stand by them during difficult times.
Amid criticism and support, Lakshya Sen requested privacy and space to reflect on his performance. Despite the heavy criticism from coach Prakash Padukone, Sen remains determined to analyze his performance and come back stronger.
