Lakshya Eager To Prove Mettle In His First CWG

Lakshya Sen has made such rapid strides in the recent past that only Kidambi Srikanth and world champion Loh Kean Yew of Singapore pose a threat to his title ambitions at the Common-wealth Games.

- Manne.Ratnakar

The 20-year-old from Almora defeated Loh to win the India Open this January. A couple of months later he came up with a sensational show at the All England Championships, where he became the first Indian to reach the final in two decades. He even dethroned reigning champion Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia.

Lakshya, who trains at the Prakash Padukone Academy in Bengaluru, excelled at the junior level before making rapid strides in the senior category.

Last December, he stunned many by becoming the youngest Indian man to win a medal at the World Championships, where he lost to Srikanth in the semifinals.