India’s six-member table tennis contingent is set to compete in both individual and team events at the Paris Olympics. Led by veterans Sharath Kamal and Manika Batra, the team is ready for the challenge.
Batra, riding high on her recent career-best world ranking of No. 24, will compete against 18-year-old Anna Hursey from the UK, while seven-time Commonwealth gold winner Sharath Kamal takes on Slovenia’s Deni Kozul.
Table tennis events will start on July 27th with the Men’s and women’s singles preliminary rounds.
Men’s events
The men’s team, comprising Sharath Kamal, Manav Thakkar, and Harmeet Desai, will go head-to-head with table tennis powerhouse China in the team round.
In the singles competition, Harmeet Desai will face Jordan’s Zaid Abo Yaman. In women’s singles, Shreeja Akula’s opponent will be Sweden’s Christina Källberg.
Gnanasekaran Sathiyan, a key member of India’s gold-winning Commonwealth Games teams, has been named as a reserve player.
Women’s events
Meanwhile, the women’s team, featuring Archana Kamath, Manika Batra, and Shreeja Akula, will battle it out against Romania.
India has no representation in the mixed events.