'You made Bharat proud': Lakshya Sen Loses Olympics Bronze Medal Match in Paris But India Salutes 22-year-old

Add as a preferred source on Google

Lakshya Sen suffered a heart-breaking defeat in his bronze medal against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia on Monday, August 5, after a memorable run at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Billions were waiting eagerly to watch India win their third bronze medal at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024, and the expectations just went out of the roof after Lakshya Sen won the first set against the world number seven in comprehensive fashion.

However, the 26-year-old Malaysian fought back heroically and stunned the 22-year-old Almora-born Indian star to register a stunning come-from-behind win. Lakshya tried catching up in the second game and was successful at levelling the scores at 12-12 at one stage, however Jia managed to take lead soon once again to take the match into a decisive third game.

Lakshya Sen's momentum was time and again also broken to adjust the bandage on his right hand. The officials intervened time and again after blood spilled on the court for the first time in the second game.

Meanwhile, Lee Zii Jia kept growing in confidence, moving swiftly on the court and made fool-blooded jumps to unleash some extremely powerful smashes. Under-pressure Lakshya Sen also made errors in judgement and serves towards the end.

Regardless, the youngster did not show any kind of reaction after losing the opportunity to become India's first men's singles player to win an Olympics medal. He walked up to Jia and congratulated him generously to showcase his brilliant sportsmanship.

Likewise, billions watching him at home also praised Lakshya Sen for his impressive run in Paris. Sen lost his semi-final match against reigning Olympics champion Viktor Axelsen, but gave the Denmark star a serious run for his money. After the match,

"Definitely (the toughest match for me in Paris so far). 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 favourites to win the gold. An amazing talent and a great guy and I wish him all the best,” Axelsen said after qualifying for his second consecutive Olympics final.

He also defeated Jonatan Christie, the reigning All England Open men's singles champion, to advance to the round of 16 where he defeated compatriot HS Prannoy. Lakshya Sen registered a come-from-behind in the quarter-finals against Chou Tien-chen.

Lakshya Sen failed to deliver a medal for India, but the nation showered him with tremendous love after his defeat in the bronze medal match. Former Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju was among the first ones to applaud Sen.

"@lakshya_sen, you’ve made Bharat proud with your remarkable effort in Men's Singles Badminton at #ParisOlympics2024! Coming so close to the medal shows your unwavering spirit & commitment. Your journey is a testament to true sportsmanship. Keep shining, Lakshya!" he wrote. Here's how others reacted.