Hyderabad table tennis player Akula Srija to represent country in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles
Release date – Friday, July 23 at 08:30 PM
Hyderabad: Hyderabad table tennis player and defending national champion Akula Sreeja has been named to the Indian team for the upcoming Asian Games.
The city girl will represent India in women’s singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles, while veterans Sharas Kamal and Manika Bhatra will lead India in the intercontinental event.
Meanwhile, another Hyderabad player, S Fidel R Snehit, was named in the men’s reserve team along with Sanhil Shetty. Srija won the Commonwealth Games mixed doubles gold with Saras Khama. However, Srija is now paired with Hamit Desai and will be the second mixed doubles pair, while Zarate is paired with Manika. In women’s doubles, Srija will partner Dia Chitale.
Since the Asian Games limit each gender to only two singles players, the selectors chose Sarat, Satyam, Manika and Srija as men’s and women’s singles players respectively.
At the Asian Games in Jakarta five years ago, the Indian team ended a 60-year wait for a table tennis medal. The team exceeded all expectations with bronze medals in the men’s team and mixed doubles events. The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) Senior Selection Committee has selected 10 representatives of five men and five women for the upcoming 26th Asian Championships in Pyeongchang, South Korea and the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China Team.
The Korean Asian Championships are scheduled to be held from September 3 to 10, while the Asian Games are scheduled to be held from September 23 to October 2.
Teams
men: A Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai, Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah. Subs: 1. SFR Snehit, 2. Sanil Shetty.
female: Manika Batra, Sreeja Akula, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Ayhika Mukherjee and Dia Chi Diya Chitale. Reserves: 1. Archana Kamath, 2. Reeth Rishya.
Men’s Doubles: A Sharath Kamal/G Sathiyan and Manav Thakkar/Manush Shah.
Women’s Doubles: Sutisha Mukherjee/Eishka Mukherjee and Srija Akula/Dia Chitale. Mixed doubles: Manika Batra/G Satyam and Srija Akula/Hamit Desai.
