The untimely deaths of athletes have always been a tragic issue in the history of sports. There have been so many ‘what-ifs’ and ‘if-onlys’ associated with the deaths of prominent athletes across sports. However, what’s inarguably more tragic is when prodigies meet their maker before they can even catch their first break. Such was the case with Pranav Madhaik. The Singaporean teen had his sights set on greatness in the game of badminton, but these dreams were short-lived.

Madhaik was inspired by Loh Kean Yew (Singapore’s badminton world champion), and Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (Indonesia’s world number two). Growing up, he was convinced that he wanted to be just like his heroes. Unfortunately, fate had different plans.

Road to Being A Badminton Pro

Pranav was an exceptional player who had great things going for him. His father shared that he exposed his son to the sport of badminton at an early stage, which he picked up on pretty quickly. As a child, Pranav would watch his father and elder brother play every day at a nearby park. Soon, Pranav was a part of the badminton team of St Joseph Institution. And in four years, he worked his way up to be the captain of the team!

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Pranav completed his primary education, expressed his interest in the game, and decided that he wanted to play badminton full-time. “I want to be an Olympic champion,” he said. However, despite getting what he wanted, Pranav’s life wasn’t easy. He joined Singapore Sports School and moved into its boarding facility. Still, despite being able to see his family just once a week, Pranav never complained about his life as a student-athlete.

Pranav was devoted to his sport and a true student of the game. “Pranav was looking for a professional career as a badminton player,” he said.  Unfortunately due to unknown reasons, he passed away during his fitness trials at the school last week.

The Need for Answers

Authorities called Pranav’s parents immediately after this incident, saying that something had happened to their son. When they arrived at the hospital, they saw their son’s motionless body. Although he was alive, he was unresponsive. Pranav’s brothers, aged 17 and 13, are also taking their brother’s demise very hard. The two brothers are also avid badminton players. “It’s very tough for them because they play together a lot. Especially the younger two, they grew up together,” said Pranav’s father.

Currently, the school has assured the Madhaik’s that they will “undertake a detailed investigation and to thoroughly review its safety protocols.” The helpless parents tried to seek answers from Pranav’s coaches and Sports School’s management. “The damage is already done. Now it’s more to know and see what could have been done to prevent this for the future so that a similar issue doesn’t happen again,” Pranav’s father told the press.

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