Manav-Manush pair hopes to make amends
Indian table tennis players Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah are preparing for the Asian Games, aiming to overcome the disappointment of a near-miss medal in Hangzhou three years ago. The duo, currently ranked World No. 3, is focusing on the process and enjoying their training as they seek redemption.
Why it matters
It provides insight into the psychological preparation of elite athletes ahead of major international sporting events.
India’s World No. 3 men’s doubles pair of Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah will head into the Asian Games as the country’s strongest table tennis medal prospects, carrying with them the lingering disappointment of a near-miss in Hangzhou three years ago.
The Gujarat duo had come within a point of a medal in Hangzhou, before losing a tense quarterfinal to South Korea’s Jang Woo-jin and Lim Jong-hoon, the then World No. 1 pair.
The defeat, Manush admitted, continues to rankle.
“It’s at the back of the mind. I think the wounds of the last Asian Games haven’t healed yet. Me and Manav both always speak about that match. We want to recover from that loss,” Manush told The Hindu .
The Indians had a match point against the Korean pair and were left devastated after failing to convert despite matching the top seeds for most of the contest.
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