NEW DELHI: Star Indian shuttler
Lakshya Sen
will have a new coach after the
Paris Olympics
, according to his mentor and former India coach Vimal Kumar.
Vimal Kumar
has taken over coaching responsibilities until the
Summer Games
, with Lakshya Sen parting ways with
Anup Sridhar
.
The 22-year-old shuttler from Almora had enlisted the services of Anup Sridhar at the beginning of the year with an eye on the Paris Olympics scheduled for July-August. However, a mutual decision was made to separate as Lakshya Sen wanted to explore different coaching approaches.
"Anup was hired till the Olympics, but Lakshya wanted to try out a few things, so they mutually decided to part ways," Vimal Kumar told PTI.
Sen is currently ranked 17th in the Olympic Games qualification rankings, with the need to secure a position within the top 16 by the end of April to qualify for the Paris Games. His recent performances have been a mix of successes and challenges, with notable victories like the Canada Open Super 500 title and several semifinal finishes.
However, he also faced 11 first-round exits, raising concerns about his form, especially after the recent first-round exit from the Malaysia Open.
Vimal emphasized that Sen's game is solid, attributing the challenges to the intense competition within the top 30-35 players in the world. Sen's mentor will continue to travel with him until the Olympics, and the search for a new coach will commence after the Paris Games.
In addition to Lakshya, Vimal also provided an update on two-time Olympic medallist
PV Sindhu
.
Sindhu, who faced a knee injury in November, is presently undergoing training under Indonesian coach Agus Dwi Santoso at the Prakash Padukone
Badminton
Academy in Bangalore.
Vimal expressed confidence in Sindhu's regained fitness and shared that she has commenced training to pursue gold in Paris.
"Sindhu has regained her fitness and just started her training under coach Santoso, who was there with the Indian men's players before. He has the experience of the Olympics and is doing all the right things," Vimal mentioned.
He added that Sindhu has lost some weight and is expected to make a comeback at the Asia Team Championships, which will be crucial in assessing her standing and providing an indication of her form ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Vimal emphasized that Sindhu's journey is about regaining confidence, and once she secures victories against top players, her form will naturally follow suit.
(With inputs from PTI)
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