Nagoya, September 19: Veteran Indian shuttler H S Prannoy believes the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games could be his final appearance at the continental event, though he is prepared to give himself another 12 to 18 months before deciding whether to continue his pursuit of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Prannoy, who won a bronze medal at the previous Asian Games, is part of India's 20-member badminton contingent for the Games, with the team competition scheduled to begin on Sunday. "This is probably my last Asian Games. I don't think I will be able to play at this level after four years. I only want to play at that level, not lower," Prannoy said.
The 33-year-old, who featured at the Vietnam Open last week, said he is currently in a positive space both
physically and mentally. "I am in a good place physically and mentally. I played the Vietnam Open last week and had a decent run after some time," he said. Prannoy was also part of India's silver-winning men's team at the Hangzhou Asian Games, where the side narrowly lost to China in the final.
Reflecting on that campaign, Prannoy said the disappointment could fuel India's bid for gold in Nagoya. "We missed gold by a whisker last time. Hopefully, we can reach the final and win gold this time," he said.
Despite viewing Nagoya as potentially his final Asian Games, Prannoy has not ruled out another Olympic campaign. "My aim is LA 2028. I will push for the next one to one-and-a-half years. If I feel there is a realistic chance of making it to LA, I will continue. Otherwise, I will decide later," he said.
His road to the Paris Olympics was hampered by chikungunya, which he contracted around two weeks before the Games. Prannoy also credited fellow veteran Kidambi Srikanth for inspiring him to continue competing at the highest level. "Seeing him still play is encouraging and motivating. His results have given me confidence that if he can play, so can I," Prannoy said.
Meanwhile, doubles star Chirag Shetty has urged India to approach the men's team competition with an aggressive mindset as the side targets gold after settling for silver in Hangzhou. India had led China 2-0 in the previous final before eventually losing 2-3.
"We want to win a medal. Last time we won silver and we were so close to winning gold. We were leading 2-0 against China," Chirag said.
The pairing of Chirag and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy has been a key part of India's recent success, and the shuttler believes the team's familiarity can prove valuable. "We have been playing together for quite some time now. We have had the Thomas Cup gold, Asian Games silver and the Thomas Cup bronze this year. We know each other well, so hopefully we can do well. "
Chirag insisted the team must leave the previous final behind. "It's a new tournament. Whatever happened last time is done and dusted. We have to go all out and be raging tigers on the court. "
The doubles specialist also highlighted the significance of representing India at a multi-sport event. "Multi-sport events are always special. Donning the Indian tricolour feels special, and I am looking forward to the next 10 days. "
Chirag and Satwik arrive in Nagoya with confidence after winning the China Open earlier this month. "What worked was that we were able to come back when we were down and execute in the crucial stages, even when we were not playing our best," he said.
With Inputs From PTI
