KOLKATA (West Bengal) : In a significant development for youth sports, a group of 15 promising table tennis players, aged 11 to 17, associated with the Sports Authority of India (SAI) are set to embark on a training camp in Chengdu, China.
This initiative, which includes 7 girls and 8 boys, aims to provide young athletes with the opportunity to enhance their skills and gain valuable international exposure.
The training camp is scheduled to commence in the first week of November and is expected to be one of the most substantial training sessions in recent years. The young athletes, guided by a dedicated coaching team, will engage in rigorous practice and skill development to prepare them for future competitions.
This initiative focuses on nurturing young talent and encouraging their growth in the sport. The age group for this endeavour ranges from 8 to 17, highlighting the commitment to identifying and honing talent from a young age.
The coaching team accompanying the young athletes includes Khushboo Soni, who serves as the assistant table tennis coach. Additionally, the head coach, Ying, will lead the training program and ensure that the participants receive expert guidance.
Some of the players who are going are Ishan Kumar Roy, Sousorjo Bannerjee,
Ranjini Saha, Ananya Roy, Arohi Roy, Indira Sen, Abhilasa Bhattacharya, Shreya Mukherjee, Anik Datta, Shahida Sarkar, Md Hasan and Srestho Chakraborty.
This initiative reflects a commitment to the development of young talent in the field of table tennis and showcases the support of the Sports Authority of India for budding athletes.
Zha Liyou, the Consul General of China in Kolkata said that the young players are very lucky to get the opportunity to visit China. He added that the youth can trust the head coach Ying for their betterment.
“I congratulate you for going to China at your age. Such an opportunity tells us you are already very successful. China is a land of table tennis. You have to keep your trust in me and your coach Ying for your betterment,” Zha Liyou said in a meeting with young players.
While speaking to ANI, Zha said that it is one very rare opportunity to share friendship between the two countries.
He also congratulated India for their stellar performance at the Asian Games as well as the Para Asian Games in Hangzhou and bagging more than 100 medals.
“I am very excited to know that 15 top young players of table tennis are going to China. It is one very rare opportunity to share friendship between the two countries. I congratulate them on their travel to Chengdu. Sports and youth, are the two areas my office has been working very hard. I also want to take this opportunity to appreciate the coaching team. China has a very strong facility… I am very sure that these young talents will have a wonderful time in China. I want to congratulate India for its wonderful performance at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. I know they have won plenty of medals in the Asian Games as well as the Para Games,” Zha Liyou said.
Dongari Lakshman Assistant Director of SAI Kolkata said that the effort will ensure that the young table tennis players get the best foreign exposure in China.
Lakshman added that the athlete will be leaving on Wednesday and will stay in China till November 16th.
“SAI always believes in giving the best training and coaching efforts to all the athletes. So, in this effort to ensure they get the best foreign exposure SAI are sending 15 athletes from Kolkata to Chengdu. They will be staying there for 15 days where they will be playing with foreign players. There are seven boys and eight girls. They will be going on November 1st and will stay till 16th for 15 days,” Dongari said.
Khushboo Soni the assistant coach said that they are looking forward to the trip and to learning new techniques in China.
“As a coach, it is a proud feeling for me that my students are going to China. We all know China is a dominating country in table tennis all over the world. Me and my players are very excited to learn new techniques from there,” Khushboo told ANI.
The trip to Chengdu in China represents an exciting opportunity for these young athletes to enhance their skills, gain international exposure, and bring valuable experiences back to India. By Ujjwal Roy (ANI)