New Delhi: The Indian contingent of more than 100 athletes arrived in Paris less than a fortnight back with the aim to match or even beat their best-ever feat of seven medals claimed at the Tokyo Games three years back. On the 10th day of the competition, Lakshya Sen, who became the first Indian male shuttler to make the semis in singles badminton, had the chance to win a fourth medal for the country, and so did the skeet mixed team pair of Maheshwari Chauhan and Anant Naruka, both in their respective bronze-medal face-offs. However, it ended in a heartbreak for India, with both medal chances lost.

Badminton legend Prakash Padukone, in particular, was not impressed with the missed opportunity, especially from Lakshya, who won the opening game against Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia, before conceding the next two to lose the opportunity to become the first Indian male shuttler to win a medal the Games.

India’s lone Olympic gold medalist in shooting Abhinav Bindra, on Monday came in support of not just Lakshya, but the other six athletes who incurred a fourth-place finish in their respective disciplines.

“Competing at the Olympics is an extraordinary challenge. It’s a testament to the dedication and sacrifice of every athlete. I’m incredibly proud of the five Indian athletes who finished fourth in the Paris Olympics. It’s a difficult time for them, but to come so close to a medal is a monumental achievement for them. It is important to recognise the hard work of not just the athletes but also the coaches, their families and the support staff. We must always stand by our athletes and appreciate the fight and resilience they demonstrate. This is a sport, not everyone can win, but in their relentless pursuit, they have already proven themselves. There will always be a time to reassess, but that time is not now. Now is the time to celebrate these athletes who represent the hopes and dreams of 1.4 billion Indians,” he told RevSportz.