Last year presented challenges, yet my inner fire continues to burn: Lakshya Sen

New Delhi, Jan 13 (NationPress) Indian badminton player Lakshya Sen expressed his emotions regarding the disappointment of missing a first Olympic medal after coming so close, revealing that 2024 has been a challenging year for him but the fire within him continues to fuel his determination to return even stronger in this new Olympic cycle.

At the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, Lakshya made history by becoming the first Indian to reach the men's singles semifinals at the Summer Games. Along the way, he achieved significant victories against high-profile opponents, including Jonatan Christie during the group stage and fellow Indian H.S. Prannoy in the Round of 16.

However, defending champion Viktor Axelsen, who ultimately claimed the gold medal, halted Lakshya's progress in the semifinals. The young athlete from Almora was unable to become the first Indian badminton player to secure an Olympic medal in men's singles, losing to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match.

“Last year was a bit tough for me. Coming this close to a medal and missing out. But, for me, the fire inside of me is still burning, and I want to rebound from that and perform well this year as we approach the next Olympics,” Lakshya shared during the pre-tournament press conference for the India Open on Monday.

Lakshya claimed victory at the India Open, a BWF Super 750 event, in 2022 when it was held without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 23-year-old Indian athlete is eager to win it again this time in front of enthusiastic Indian fans when the tournament commences on Tuesday.

“When I won the India Open in 2022, it wasn't in front of the fans. So I hope to win it again before the amazing fans here in India. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Indian fans to come and watch us live and see all the major stars,” he added.

In the season-opening event, the Malaysia Open, Lakshya was eliminated in the first round after losing to the lower-ranked Chi Yu-jen of Chinese Taipei in straight games.