Paris Olympics 2024: Manika Batra believes India has a shot at winning medal

Manika Batra (Pic: File Pic)

India's Manika Batra won the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, following which she became the flag-bearer for India women's table tennis. Later, many Indian women paddlers had an impact on the global stage. Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, Manika Batra believes that India has a shot at winning the table tennis medal at the upcoming marquee event.

Manika Batra played a crucial role in India's women's team qualification for the Paris Olympics 2024. She also managed to reach the quarter-finals of the WTT Saudi Smash by defeating World No.2 Wang Manyu of China and World No.14 Nina Mittelham of Germany, as per a release by Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT).

"India qualified for the first time, this is a huge achievement... I am really happy with how we are working together (at the camp). I think we have a shot at the medal and we should give our best," Batra said during an interview with UTT.

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"The growth of women's table tennis in India is really inspiring. I see many of my fellow players playing really well. Everyone in the team is motivated and training very hard. Women's table tennis in India will only grow further for sure," she added.

Opening up her views on the growth of table tennis in India, Batra credited UTT for providing exposure to young Indian players by playing against foreign players.

"UTT really helped us because we get to practice with foreign players, play matches [against them]. We get good match practice," Batra said.

Ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024, Manika Batra said that she has gained experience from her Tokyo Olympics campaign and will focus on one match at a time instead of setting a medal target.

"I have learned many things from the last Olympics, and I am not going to make those mistakes again. My mindset has changed since then, I am calmer and have more confidence in myself. I have been working on my stamina and my agility, and my ultimate aim is to challenge for a medal, Batra said.

"But, I will go slowly. I will try to be in that zone and give my best. I will go round by round and not think of a medal too early. I will give my best for my country," Batra, who represents PBG Bengaluru Smashers in UTT, said.

India will compete in the individual as well as team events of table tennis at the Paris Olympics 2024, and after the Olympics, star Indian paddlers, including Batra, Achanta Sharath Kamal, Sreeja Akula, and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, will be joined by the world's top players such as World No. 10 Bernadette Szocs and Nigerian legend Quadri Aruna in the UTT 2024, scheduled to take place in Chennai from August 22 to September 7.

(With ANI Inputs)