The Hindu : Sport / Table Tennis : Mouma sets a modest target

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004

Sport

Sport - Table Tennis

Mouma sets a modest target

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, JULY 27. One of the two Indian paddlers who has made it to the Athens Olympics, Mouma Das, has set a very modest target for herself. The tiny lass from Madhyamgram, a suburb of Kolkata, would be too happy to make it past the first round group league, a feat never achieved by her compatriots in recent past.

"I feel qualifying from the preliminary group league will be tough. Once I manage to cross this hurdle, my further progress will largely depend on the luck of draw,'' she told media persons in a meet the press programme at the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club here on Tuesday.

"Like any sport the luck factor plays a role in table tennis also. Apart from the playing ability, a good draw can certainly help one,'' said Mouma.

"Poulami Ghatak, who made it to the Sydney Olympics in 2000, suffered on one count: lack of international exposure prior to the Games. I am lucky in this count for, I played in the world championship at Qatar, won three gold medals at the Islamabad SAF Games, moved into the main draw of the pre-Olympic meet at Beijing last March and won a doubles bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games. These in turn improved my level of confidence'', added Mouma. She felt her training under foreign coaches helped her immensely. "I improved my footwork and speed and added more power to forehand shots.''

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