Ace Indian table tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal says preparations for next year바카라s Paris Olympics will begin with the Ultimate Table Tennis바카라 fourth season, which will be played in Pune from July 13-30. (More Sports News)
Sharath said preparations for the Hangzhou Asian Games, to be held from September 23 to October 8, are in the final stages, but the main focus will be on the bigger prize at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
바카라Asian Games is the immediate target, but the main goal for Team India is the Paris Olympics. When UTT starts, the countdown would be down to 12 months, for me personally, that바카라s when the preparation starts,바카라 Sharath told reporters here on the sidelines of the player draft for UTT season 4 on Friday.
바카라As for the Asian Games, we are already into the final leg, the preparation is done with. We just have to get into the best physical and mental shape. As on the preparation front, UTT will help us start the preparation for the Olympic Games,바카라 he added.
He said the strong performance by the Indians in the last Asian Games, held in Indonesia in 2018, will give them confidence going into this edition in China. India won a bronze medal each in the men바카라s team event -- of which Sharath was a part -- and mixed doubles (Sharath pairing with Manika Batra).
바카라The Asian Games competition is as tough as Olympics. When we won the medals last time, it gave the confidence that if we can do it here, we can certainly win an Olympic medal. I think the preparations are on course and we hope to add to those two bronze medals,바카라 he said.
While the third season of the UTT was held in 2019, the fourth season is back this year and Sharath hoped that his side Chennai Lions are able to replicate their winning performance this year too.
"(The) season three was very good. Not just because my team Chennai Lions won it, but also because the format was very interesting. The kind of following table tennis had that particular season showed we were growing as a sport. And the Indian team바카라s performances kept on improving in that period,바카라 he said.
바카라I am looking forward to this season creating the same buzz, not just with the players, but also with the spectators, people who engage with the sport and with the youngsters who pick table tennis either as a hobby or a competitive activity. For all of them, UTT season 4 will be fantastic.바카라
Talking about how the six teams are placed ahead of UTT season 4, Sharath said all sides look balanced and it will be important to play better on the given day.
바카라The teams are well-balanced. It is going to be decided on which team has the better team spirit and perform on that particular day. Each team has strong players, so the competition will be tough. The format also makes the matches tight. We will have to rise up to the occasion if we are to defend the title,바카라 he said.
Sharath said sharing knowledge and overall experience of playing with overseas players will continue to hold the Indian players in good stead.
바카라More than a particular tournament, UTT gives a lot of confidence when we train with them, play against and more importantly, beat them here. When we play overseas, we still carry that confidence of being able to compete against the best,바카라 he said.
