Lakshya Sen heads to Austria for physical assessment
India's 22-year-old badminton ace Lakshya Sen has embarked on a journey to Austria for a comprehensive physical assessment. The evaluation is set to take place at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre in Salzburg. This move follows his commendable performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics where he narrowly missed out on a medal by finishing fourth.
Coach Vimal Kumar shares insights on Sen's assessment
Sen's coach, Vimal Kumar, confirmed the news of his departure to PTI. He stated that "Lakshya is going to Austria to do some physical assessment." The coach further explained that the tests at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre will focus primarily on specific strength aspects. This evaluation is crucial for Sen as he prepares for upcoming BWF tournaments and aims to enhance his performance.
Sen's team emphasizes importance of physical training
Sen's trainer, Gaurav, emphasized the importance of this physical assessment for the badminton star. He stated that "unless the strength and conditioning program is really spot on, he can get injured." Gaurav further explained that many elite athletes undergo such tests to fine-tune their fitness regimens. This evaluation is seen as a crucial step in Sen's preparation for future tournaments.
Sen's upcoming tournaments and fitness goals
Sen is expected to participate in the Hong Kong Super 500 and China Open Super 1000 tournaments scheduled for late September. His coach highlighted the need for continuous improvement in his overall fitness due to the fast-paced nature of his playing style. Vimal Kumar emphasized that "he needs to definitely get better on fitness aspects, especially speed, endurance, and other things he needs to work on."
Sen's career graph
Sen is currently ranked 16th in the world in the men's singles. He finished fourth in his debut Olympics at Paris 2024. According to olympics.com, he is a two-time Youth Olympic Games medallist, and became junior world No.1 in 2017. Sen earned a bronze medal in men's singles on his World Championships debut in 2021. In 2022, Sen also claimed Commonwealth Games gold and won his first BWF World Tour Super 500 title at the Indian Open.
