Lakshya Sen: Rising Star in Badminton with an Assured Future

Lakshya Sen, the young Indian shuttler, showcased commendable performances at the Olympics, narrowly missing out on a medal. Two-time world champion Viktor Axelsen recognized his talent and predicted a gold medal for Sen in the future. Sen finished fourth in this year's competition after losing to Denmark's Axelsen and Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia.

Young Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen undoubtedly deserved a medal for his 'fantastic performances' at the Olympics, according to two-time world champion Viktor Axelsen, who successfully defended his gold medal at the Paris Games.

Sen, at 22, became the first Indian men's badminton player to reach the semifinals at the Olympics. However, he faced disappointment after losing in the final four clash to Danish superstar Axelsen and subsequently in the bronze medal playoff to Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia, ultimately finishing fourth.

In response to a post by Sen expressing gratitude for fan support on 'X', Axelsen wrote, "Keep going brother. You can be really proud of yourself. Wish all semifinalists could get a medal as you definitely deserve one." He added, "Congrats to you all on a fantastic performance at the Games."

Axelsen, who defeated Sen 22-20 21-14 in their semifinal match, has predicted a gold medal for the Indian player in the next Olympics iteration. "Lakshya is an amazing player. He has shown in this Olympics that he is a very, very strong competitor and I am sure in four years from now, he will be one of the favorites to win the gold," he said. "An amazing talent and a great guy, I wish him all the best."

(With inputs from agencies.)