Tokyo Olympics: Indian table tennis duo Sharath Kamal, Manika Batra seal mixed doubles

The Indian pair of Manika Batra and Achanta Sharath Kamal have qualified for the mixed doubles event of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The world number 19 Indian pair lost 4-2 to Korean pair Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihei in the final clash in the Asian Olympic qualifiers. The Indian table tennis duo defeated Singapore’s Kon Pang Yew An and Lin Ye 4-2 in the last-4 clash in Doha on Friday to make it to the mixed doubles final in the Asian Olympic qualification tournament.

Sharath and Manika faced a tough challenge in the early part of the semifinal match as the score was tied 2–2 after the fourth game. However, the 2018 Asian Games bronze medalist pair managed to take an edge over the opponent and won 12–10, 9–11, 11–5, 5–11, 11–8, 13–11 in a row. 50 minutes.

Earlier on Thursday, all four Indian paddlers Sharath, Manika, Gnanasekharan Sathiyan, and Sutirtha Mukherjee earned their own singles qualification at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

While Sathiyan and Sutirth became winners in their categories of the South Asian group, Sharath and Manika sealed the Tokyo berth in place of the second-placed players.

Promoted

This will be Sharath’s fourth Olympic game. Sharath beat Rameez 11-4, 11-1, 11-5, 11-4 in just 23 minutes and made the cut based on his superior ranking.

The Tokyo Olympics is scheduled from 23-August 8 this year. The Games were scheduled to take place last year but were postponed due to the Kovid-19 epidemic. Whereas, Paralympic will be from 24 August to 5 September.