Paris Olympics 2024: India table tennis teams secure historic qualification

India's women's and men's table tennis teams have created history and qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024. This is the first time they will compete in the Olympics game.

Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Indian athletes who qualified for the Paris 2024

Both teams had to face defeat in the round of 16 at the ITTF World Table Tennis Team Championships in Busan on Wednesday, but their dream of playing the Olympics as a team came true. They secured the Paris Olympics 2024 qualification by taking the last world-ranking spot. Currently, the ranking of the women's and men's teams is 17 and 15 respectively.

Team table tennis was included in the Olympics for the first time in 2008 and after this, this is the first time that Indian teams will be seen competing for medals in this event.

Although the official team rankings will be unveiled on March 4, preliminary calculations confirm India's qualification for the Paris Olympics 2024. The Indian men's team, led by the seasoned 10-time national champion Sharath Kamal, faced a 3-0 defeat against formidable hosts Korea, while the women's team displayed courage in a closely contested match against higher-ranked Chinese Taipei, ending with a 1-3 scoreline.

With only 16 teams securing qualification, the competition for Olympic berths remains fiercely contested, underlining the significance of this achievement for Indian table tennis. Moreover, the Olympic team event also guarantees two singles entries, adding further value to India's qualification.

The selection dilemma now looms for the Table Tennis Federation of India, particularly in the men's category, where contenders such as World No. 67 Harmeet Desai, Sharath Kamal, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, and Manav Thakkar vie for the coveted spots. Additionally, Sathiyan is expected to qualify for the mixed doubles event alongside Manika Batra.

The Indian contingent's performance in Busan showcased their capability to challenge top-tier opponents, evidenced by Ayhika Mukherjee and Sreeja Akula's stunning victories over Chinese stars Sun Yingsha and Wang Yidi respectively. These wins highlight India's potential to spring surprises against the best, albeit consistent performance remains a key area for improvement.

Also Read: Vishnu Saravanan clinches India's first Paris Olympic quota in sailing

Indian table tennis has witnessed a steady rise in recent years, fueled by stellar performances such as Manika Batra's exploits at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Sutirtha/Ayhika Mukherjee's triumph at the Hangzhou Asian Games. As the countdown to the Paris Olympics 2024begins, the Indian contingent celebrates their qualification while acknowledging the ongoing quest for improvement and consistency in the quest for Olympic glory.