New Delhi: The legendary Prakash Padukone is reportedly set to travel to Paris as the mentor of the Indian badminton squad for the 2024 Olympics. Ace shuttler PV Sindhu, who is one of India’s biggest medal prospects in badminton, is currently preparing for the Olympics under Padukone’s guidance in Bengaluru having shifted her base from Hyderabad.
Padukone, who is regarded as one of the greatest shuttlers India has produced, is the first from the country to win the prestigious All-England Championship. The former world no.1 never participated in an Olympics as he retired from badminton before the sport was introduced in the showpiece event in the 1992 Barcelona Games.
While Sindhu has already confirmed Padukone as her mentor ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, the India legend has also been a guiding force for Lakshya Sen. Sen, who rose through the ranks while training at the Padukone Badminton Academy, will be hoping to utilise his mentor’s guidance in his quest for his maiden Olympics medal.
As per a report in news agency PTI, Padukone will be part of the group of coaching staff that will travel to Paris for the 2024 Olympics as a mentor. India’s national chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand, doubles coach Mathias Boe and Vimal Kumar among others will also be part of the Indian team’s coaching staff.
“There are seven players and eight support staff, including the coaches and physios. Pullela Gopichand, RMV Gurusaidutt, Agus Santosa, Vimal Kumar, and Mathias Boe will be the coaches travelling to Paris, while Prakash Padukone will go as a mentor. Zeinia Samar and Kiran Challagundla will be the two physiotherapists in the team,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.
While doubles coach Boe is working with the men’s doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty and the women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto, Gurusaidutt is training HS Prannoy. Meanwhile, Kumar is currently training Sen.
India’s medal hopes in badminton
The men’s doubles pair of Chirag and Satwik are India’s biggest hope for a medal at the Paris Olympics. The duo were knocked out from the group stage in the Tokyo Games but have since witnessed a remarkable rise in stature. They were instrumental in helping India clinch their maiden Thomas Cup title in 2022 and have not looked back ever since.
Chirag and Satwaik will be hoping to continue their promising run in the 2024 Paris Olympics and bag their maiden medal at the showpiece event. Apart from the duo, Sindhu is also a medal contender despite her injury issues and poor form. Sindhu’s experience will be the key for India in women’s singles.
Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone is set to travel with the Indian badminton squad for the Paris Olympics 2024. National chief badminton coach Pullela Gopichand will also travel with the team. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
