Lakshya Sen experienced a gut-wrenching defeat in the bronze-medal match at the Paris Olympics 2024, narrowly missing out on his first Olympic medal. Despite being the favorite against Lee Zii Jia, whom he had beaten four times out of five previous encounters, Sen won the first game but faltered in the subsequent games, ultimately losing the decider 21-11. This loss marked a significant disappointment for India, ending a 12-year Olympic medal streak.
5 Major Key Points
- Bronze Medal Match Loss: Lakshya Sen lost the bronze-medal match to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, despite winning the first game 21-13.
- Historic Context: This defeat ended India’s 12-year streak of winning medals at the Olympics.
- Emotional Strain: The loss was emotionally taxing for Sen, who struggled to articulate his feelings post-match, highlighting the pressure and disappointment he felt.
- Physical Setbacks: Sen dealt with a bloody elbow injury during the match, which caused medical interruptions and affected his momentum.
- Notable Performance: Despite the loss, Sen’s Olympic journey was commendable, having defeated top players like Julien Carraggi, Jonatan Christie, HS Prannoy, and Chou Tien-Chen to reach the semi-finals.
