Hope to see many more TT players emerge: Pooja Sahasrabudhe-Koparkar

Hope to see many more TT players emerge: Pooja Sahasrabudhe-Koparkar

PUNE: City based paddler Pooja Sahasrabudhe-Koparkar feels the sensational run of Indian table-tennis contingent at the Gold Coast Games, has done enough to spark a table tennis revolution in India. 

“It is slowly sinking in (the medals). Hope they are enough for our sport to go the big on the international level. The achievement will have a lot more significance if it turns out that way for table tennis scene in India,” Pooja stated on Thursday.

The 26-year old says, having won a silver medal in 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, was a perfect launching pad for a her.

“The experience I had during the Commonwealth Youth Games in the initial years for certainly a help. To top that up with a gold medal at Gold Coast was an icing on the cake. It will surely motivate me to do better for the upcoming Olympics,” she said with a smile.

Despite earning accolades for her recent feats in Gold Coast, Pooja still feels she has room for improvement, especially on her fitness.

“Well, I would need to work more on my fitness as the sport is very fast and it is required to beat the top players. I need to be little more fitter and need to be faster than what I am right now,” Pooja said, as she was feted by ‘Lakshya’ for her achievements in Commonwealth Games.

When asked about her mindset before taking on higher-ranked opponents, Pooja, who is married to former national champion Aniket Koparkar-said she doesn’t focus too much on her rivals’ rankings.

“I do not think much about the opponent’s ranking when I face them as I believe I have my techniques in right place. But having said that I am really happy and satisfied with my game,” she said.

Pooja, a consistent performer for India with great potential, won two gold and one silver medal at the 2016 Senior National Championship. 

She believes it’s a good thing for the future of the sport in our country that four players will be representing India in World Championships later this month in Sweden.

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