Paris Olympics 2024: Prakash Padukone not happy with Lakshya Sen. Here’s why

Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen missed out on an Olympic medal, going down in three games to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the bronze play-off at the Paris Olympics 2024 in Paris on Monday.

“I came well prepared for this match as well. It has been quite a tough week overall. But yeah, the fatigue kept on building. But I mean, I was ready to give my 100 per cent in this match,” said a crestfallen Lakshya Sen after the match to PTI.

However, Lakshya Sen's coach, Prakash Padukone, was unhappy with the way his mentee squandered an opportunity to bring home a medal.

Prakash Padukone, the legendary former Indian shuttler, spoke in detail about the badminton contingent's failure to win a medal in the Paris games. He said it was high time that the players took responsibility.

While the medal-favourite men's doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also returned empty-handed, having lost in the quarterfinal, PV Sindhu bowed out in the round of 16 in the women's singles at the Paris Olympics. Lakshya's loss makes it the first time in 12 years that India will return without a badminton medal from the Olympics.

Following Lakshya's loss, which ended India's badminton campaign, Padukone hit out at the players. He stated that the athletes had received adequate support from the government and that they should “take responsibility” for their performances, reported Hindustan Times.

“After Milkha Singh in '64 and PT Usha in the 80s, we have had so many fourth-place finishes. I think that it’s high time that the players also take responsibility,” Padukone said.

‘Not just keep asking more from federations’

According to the badminton coach, the players should not hold the federations and the government responsible for their performances at the Paris Olympics 2024."They have all done whatever they can. Ultimately, the responsibility is on the players to go and deliver when it matters the most,” stated Padukone.

The coach said that no other country, not even the United States, has the same facilities the Indian contingent received. It was time for “The players to introspect and not just keep asking for more from the federations," said Prakash Padukone.

Lakshya needs to “work harder”

Padukone was particularly displeased with how the Indian shuttler lost his 1-0 lead against Lee Zii Jia in the bronze medal match. He was very sure that Lakshya could have gotten a medal.

“I and Vimal are not happy with the fourth position of Lakshya (Sen). He could have definitely gotten a medal. I know (Viktor) Axelsen might say that Lakshya is the next best, but that is not good enough because there was a possibility of a medal," said Lakshya's coach.

Prakash Padukone added that Lakshya must “take responsibility and work harder.”