Kamal Ghorui
Despite the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles still being more than two years away, Lakshya Sen is already viewed as one of India’s strongest medal hopes in men’s singles badminton.The 24-year-old Lakshya made his Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Games, where he came close to securing a podium finish. He put up a strong fight in the bronze-medal match but lost to Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia.The disappointment was visible as Lakshya walked out of the Porte de La Chapelle Arena, also known as the Adidas Arena. But the youngster chose to leave that setback behind and refocus on the future.
Lakshya Sen (Pic Credit: Lakshya’s Insta Handle)
At the just concluded 2026 All England Championships, he once again showed his credentials. He defeated world No. 1 Shi Yuqi in the first round en route to the final, where he narrowly lost.Former India badminton player Trupti Murgunde believes Lakshya, currently ranked No.12, is well-positioned to be a strong medal contender at the LA 2028.“Looking at his current form, I would definitely say he will be in the frame,” Murgunde told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive chat.Now a coach at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy in Bengaluru, Murgunde was part of the support system when Lakshya won bronze at the BWF World Championships in Huelva in 2021.However, she stressed that the road to the Olympics is long and demanding.“In badminton, two years is a long time. Lakshya has been playing on the circuit for quite a while, so sustaining himself will be very important. He will have to choose tournaments wisely, stay fit and remain injury-free,” she said.Murgunde added that while Lakshya is currently a strong medal prospect, it is still early to make firm predictions about the Los Angeles Games.“If you ask me today, I would say he is definitely a medal prospect. But we have to see how he sustains his form and fitness until Los Angeles,” she said, noting that the picture will become clearer closer to the Olympic qualification phase.She also pointed out that fans and observers often rush to label emerging players too quickly.“We often see people jumping to conclusions too early. For example, whenever a young women’s singles player performs well, people immediately ask if she is the next Sindhu. I always say — don’t jump to such conclusions so quickly,” Murgunde said.According to her, India’s medal prospects will be clearer by the end of next season.“I think by the end of this year and probably by 2027 we will have a much clearer picture of where our players stand for the Olympics,” she explained.Murgunde also highlighted the intensity of the Olympic qualification period in badminton, which begins roughly a year before the Games.“In fact, qualifying for the Olympics in badminton is one of the toughest things compared to many other sports. So the pace and intensity of competition will increase a lot. Players need to be prepared for that and keep improving constantly” she said.
