Asian Games 2023: After 20 years of tireless work, Sutirtha and Ahika Mukherjee won medal in table tennis.

Just as there is a craze for cricket in India, the atmosphere of table tennis in China is also similar. This is the reason that asian games And China prevails in the table tennis competition in the Commonwealth Games. of India Sutirtha Mukherjee And the pair of Ahika Mukherjee won a historic bronze medal in the table tennis match at the Asian Games 2023 on Monday. Both of them had started planning two decades ago in Naihati, West Bengal. This bronze medal is the result of nearly 20 years of tireless efforts. The Indian pair fulfilled their dream of playing brilliantly in the Asian Games with a bronze medal in table tennis women’s doubles.

Reached the semi-finals after defeating China

Two days before their semi-final loss, Mukherjee had defeated defending world champion Chen Meng and Yidi Wang of China in their last-eight match. The Indian pair had to settle for a bronze medal after losing 3-4 to North Korea in a tough match in the women’s doubles semi-finals. With this medal, India’s challenge in Asian Games table tennis has now ended. This time India has won this only medal in table tennis. India had won bronze medals in men’s team and mixed doubles in Jakarta in 2018.

Sutirtha and Ahika are not sisters

According to a report in Times of India, the same surname of two Indian girls led some foreign journalists to believe that they were sisters. Ahika then revealed that we are not sisters, but our surname is the same. We know each other and have played together since childhood, so it is very easy to understand each other. I can read her mind and she can read mine. And we really have fun at the table, whether we’re losing or playing against the best in the world.

India won only one medal in table tennis

Entry into the semi-finals had assured a medal for this pair. But on Monday, the last-four match against North Korea’s Cha Suyong and Pak Sugyong ended in a painful defeat. The Korean pair won 7-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-2 to make it to the gold medal match. Coach Mamta Prabhu said, ‘They (Ahika and Sutirtha) started from the same club. Their friendship is more than 20 years old. They know each other very well, know each other inside and out. This is why the bonding is really strong.

Gave a good fight to Korea

The Mukherjee pair did not make a good start, but made strong efforts to make a comeback. They lost the fourth and fifth games. At one point he made the score 3-3 and took the match to a decider. Coach Mamata said that I think the North Koreans had some good games where they played really well and they (the Indian team) were completely out of rhythm then. I can say that this is not a happy day for us.

The pain of not reaching the finals

The crowd on Monday was not as significant as in the quarterfinals, but the locals still supported the Koreans. Mamta said, ‘We are accustomed to this. In the last match (quarter final) we played against China. There was much more excitement than this. This time the crowd was in favor of North Korea but we are used to it. Naihati’s childhood friends Sutirtha and Ayhika are happy, although the disappointment of not being able to progress beyond the semi-finals was also clearly visible in their words. Ahika said after the match, ‘It feels surreal to win this medal, but it could have been better. We are happy with what we have.

India’s medal winning players in Asian Games on Monday

1. Ansi Sojan – Women’s Long Jump – Silver

2. Athletics Team – 4x400m Mixed Relay – Silver

3. Parul Chaudhary – 3000m Steeplechase – Silver

4. Preeti – 3000m Steeplechase – Bronze

5. Women’s Speed ​​Skating Team – 3000m Relay – Bronze

6. Men’s Speed ​​Skating Team – 3000m Relay – Bronze

7. Sutirtha and Ahika Mukherjee – Table Tennis Women’s Doubles – Bronze