Payas Jain Aims for Olympic Glory in Table Tennis

Aspiration for Olympic Success

New Delhi, August 21: Payas Jain, the former U-17 World No. 1 in table tennis, has shared his ambition to secure a medal for India at the upcoming Olympics, marking a significant milestone in his sporting career.

The 2028 Summer Olympics are set to take place from July 14 to 30 in the United States.

“My primary objective is to win an Olympic medal for India. I have set smaller goals along the way, and I am confident we can achieve this. India is currently excelling in sports, and I believe that in the next four to five years, we will be competitive,” Jain stated during an interview.

Jain noted that table tennis has seen a surge in popularity in India, attributing this growth to the achievements of Indian players on the global stage.

Veteran player Sharath Kamal recently won a gold medal in the men's singles at the 2022 Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham.

Additionally, last year, Manika Batra, a three-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games medalist, made history by becoming the first Indian singles player to reach the quarter-finals of a World Table Tennis (WTT) Grand Smash event, which is akin to the tennis Grand Slams.

“Table tennis has gained significant traction due to our previous medal wins. In recent years, we have secured Commonwealth golds, and Manika has made remarkable contributions to our sport, including winning medals in Asia,” Jain remarked.

Despite the progress, Jain acknowledged the challenges of elevating table tennis to the same level of popularity as cricket in India.

“Reaching the status of cricket will undoubtedly be challenging, as it is a well-established sport. However, I believe table tennis is on the right path,” Jain concluded.