S’pore Sports School Student Wanted To Become Olympic Champion, Badminton Journey Started In P2

Singapore Sports School Student Who Passed Away Was Self-Motivated

Earlier this week, tragic news broke that a 14-year-old Singapore Sports School student had passed away after collapsing following a fitness time trial.

Speaking to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the parents of Pranav Madhaik recalled how their son had dreams of being a badminton Olympic champion.

Pranav’s badminton journey started when he was in Primary 2. He then decided to pursue badminton full-time after his Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE).

 Joined school’s badminton team in Primary 2

In an exclusive interview with CNA, Pranav’s father Mr Prem Singh Madhaik shared about his late son’s ambitions as a budding shuttler.

Pranav became exposed to badminton when he was in kindergarten. Growing up, he would watch his older brother and father play at a park near their house.

He joined the St Joseph’s Institution Junior badminton team when he was in Primary 2.

Despite his young age, Pranav already had big dreams about his badminton career.

His father told CNA that Pranav once drew himself standing on a podium, holding onto a medal with one hand and a racquet with the other.

“I want to be [an] Olympic champion”, said young Pranav when asked about his ambitions then.

The budding shuttler eventually captained the school team when he was in Primary 6.

Upon completing PSLE, Pranav told his parents about his desire to pursue badminton full-time.

During an interview with Singapore Sports School (SSP), Pranav said he hoped to be as successful as Indonesian shuttler Anthony Sinisuka Ginting — a bronze medalist in the recent Olympic Games.

He also expressed his desire to surpass both Ginting and local shuttler Loh Kean Yew.

“I want to do better than them,” he said.

Self-motivated teen didn’t want to miss a single training session

Mr Prem Singh Madhaik described Pranav as a self-motivated teenager who did not want to miss a single training session.

Despite staying in SSP’s boarding facility and only seeing his family once a week, Pranav never complained about life as a student-athlete, recalled the elder Madhaik.

When asked if Pranav might have been pushed too hard and at too early a stage, the father said it’s necessary for aspiring professional athletes to “work hard and train hard”.

Was charming & well-loved by those around him

Recounting the events from the day of the fitness trial, Mr Prem Singh Madhaik said he and his wife rushed down to the National University Hospital upon receiving a call from SSP.

However, when they arrived at the hospital, Pranav was already lying motionless on the bed like a “stone”.

As hospital staff were performing CPR on Pranav at the time, the parents were prevented from seeing him up close.

Mr Prem Singh Madhaik spent the next six days alone in the hospital by Pranav’s side, “hoping to bring Pranav (him) back“. Unfortunately, he passed away on 11 Oct.

Many of Pranav’s friends showed up at his funeral to bid their final goodbyes.

This was perhaps a tribute to how Pranav was as a person, whom his father described as “charming” and well-loved by his peers.

However, Pranav’s passing reportedly came as a huge blow to his two brothers– aged 17 and 13 — who felt like he was “leaving them alone”.

SSP has since fired a badminton coach for failing to account for Pranav’s welfare following the time trial.

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Featured image adapted from 8world News and CNA via 8world News.