India’s girls’s desk tennis staff made historical past on the 2024 Paris Olympics, making it previous the Spherical of 16 for the primary time ever within the nation’s historical past. India ultimately misplaced the ladies’s staff battle to Germany within the quarter-finals, the place Archana Kamath was the one paddler to have received a sport. India ultimately misplaced the match 1-3 and bowed out of the competitors. Although reaching the quarter-finals was historic in India’s desk tennis historical past on the Olympic Video games, Kamath needed extra. With there being no assure of a medal within the LA Video games in 2028, the younger paddler has determined to stop desk tennis professionally and as an alternative examine overseas.
After returning dwelling from the Paris Video games, Kamath had an sincere dialog together with her coach Anshul Garg in regards to the prospects of incomes a medal within the subsequent video games. The coach, understandably shocked by Archana’s stance, determined to offer an sincere response
“I instructed her that it is troublesome. It may take a variety of arduous work. She’s ranked exterior the highest 100 on the planet however she improved a lot previously couple of months. However I believe she had already made up her thoughts to go. And as soon as she makes up her thoughts, it is troublesome to alter it,” Garg instructed The Indian Categorical.
Archana’s choice for the Paris Olympics was a chatter of debate earlier than the beginning of the quadrennial occasion, particularly after she acquired the nod over Ayhika Mukherjee, who had overwhelmed World No. 1 Solar Yingsha earlier.
Maintaining apart the chatter round her choice, Archana centered on the sport and did very well in serving to India received the one match in opposition to the Germans within the 1-3 quarter-final loss. Archana has the backing of TOPs, Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ), and different sponsors, however that is not sufficient. An Olympic medal is what drove her, however now learning overseas is wanting like a greater profession path.
“My brother works at NASA. He is my idol and he too encourages me to review. So I make the time to finish all my research and I get pleasure from it. I am good at it too,” she had instructed the paper earlier.
Archana has additionally been described as a superb scholar by her father, who mentioned that the paddler has no regrets in regards to the profession decisions she has made.
“Archana has all the time been academically oriented and all alongside her TT profession has pursued her research with commencement in Economics and has just lately accomplished the necessities for a Grasp’s diploma in Worldwide Relations, Methods, and Securities. Having performed desk tennis with a lot dedication and fervour for greater than 15 years which culminated in her representing our nation on the Olympics, she felt it was time for her to pursue her different passion- full-time research. She has taken this troublesome step with completely no regrets and after having given her finest for the game and the nation,” Archana’s father Girish mentioned.
Monetary sustainability of sports activities like Desk Tennis is a matter of concern, particularly contemplating the drastic step Archana determined to take after the Paris Video games. However, Eight-time nationwide champion and present Desk Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) secretary Kamlesh Mehta feels change is going down shortly.
“Desk tennis is getting a variety of company backing. The Final Desk Tennis (UTT) has all company house owners. Gamers are being supported by skilled sports activities companies too. There’s loads occurring and the federal government with TTFI is doing no matter we are able to to help gamers and create a system that makes gamers wish to keep within the sport. The variety of skilled academies which have come up within the nation is a testomony to that. Our outcomes on the worldwide stage – even in youth tournaments – present that we’re doing one thing proper,” he mentioned.
Whereas there’s help for Desk Tennis stars when it comes to tools and coaching, Archana’s coach Garg feels the game continues to be removed from turning into a platform of livelihood for gamers. Therefore, Archana’s resolution made sense to him.
“The highest gamers usually haven’t any downside as a result of they get a variety of help. However what in regards to the upcoming gamers? Sure, they get help when it comes to coaching and tools. No expense is spared there however what a couple of livelihood? That will get troublesome so Archana’s resolution is comprehensible,” Garg mentioned.
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