H S Prannoy after the pre-quarters match against Lakshya Sen.
Credit: X/@div_yumm
Paris: There’s always a limit to what one’s body/mind can take. Post that threshold, it automatically breaks down no matter how strong one is. H S Prannoy was forced to experience that at the Paris Olympics on Thursday that left him in an emotional wreck.
One of Indian badminton’s great warriors given how he’s managed to attain success at the elite level despite being laid low by a career-threatening reflux disease, the 32-year-old Prannoy’s main goal was the Paris Olympics and had worked extremely hard in pursuit of a medal.
But his preparations took a massive blow when he was laid low by chikungunya, a vector-borne disease that causes severe pain in the joint, that saw him spend five days in the hospital. It seemed like Prannoy would have to give up on his Paris dream but he soldiered on against all odds and made the long flight to the French capital.
Despite not being fully fit and his body completely battered by chikungunya, Prannoy somehow managed to win both his Group K games before setting up a last-16 game against Lakshya Sen. That exhaustion finally showed up as he just went through the motions against Sen before losing in 39 minutes.
Prannoy managed to hide his emotions on court but then just broke down in the mixed zone. Crying profusely, Prannoy struggled for words to explain the pain he endured before walking away.