EXCLUSIVE: Coach Vimal Kumar feels Lakshya Sen will be India's medal hope in 2024 Olympics

Vimal Kumar, the coach of Lakshya Sen, did not seem to be much elated with his student’s performance. Lakshya had stunned second-seeded Victor Svendsen of Denmark in a 34-minute straight setter in the final to clinch Belgium Open a week ago.

The former national champion, the national coach as well as chief coach of Prakash Padukone Academy, instead seemed little cautious on his student’s progress. Speaking to The Bridge, Vimal said, “He needs more stamina, strength and endurance to sustain in the mainstream badminton.”

Lakshya’s style in the last couple of months has changed, according to Vimal. He has been extremely attacking now. That was the reason his opposition lost before being able to read Lakshya’s movement and smashes all around, Vimal explained, this change has come mainly after Lakshya, and three other students of the Prakash Padukone Academy have been training in a Danish club where the ‘Great Dane’ Frost is the chief coach. Vimal explained,

The reasons behind sending them to Frost and his club is getting the training of superior quality and secondly, getting the opportunity to practice against tough players. This training has made Lakshya more aggressive.

The 18-year-old rising star of Indian badminton is being projected as a medal contender in any major international championship like senior World Championship and Olympics within the next couple of years. Vimal asserted saying, “He is being projected as one of the major hopes in the 2024 Olympics. It might be that he comes under the Union sports ministry’s Target Olympics Podium (TOP) scheme after 2020.” Keeping faith on one of his best students, Vimal added:

I am optimistic that Lakshya will be able to establish his distinctiveness at the senior level also by next year. He has defeated top Indian players like Praneeth, Prannoy in different tournaments. But that has not been consistent. I am looking forward to his performance at the senior level from next year.

Lakshya, before coming back to India in November, will be participating in another preparatory tournament in Germany next week as a part of his preparation for the forthcoming Junior World Championship at the end of this month. The shuttler from Almora had clinched the bronze medal in Junior World Championship last year. His coach seems to be hopeful that the bronze will convert into the gold medal this year.