Shrestha has had represented Nepal in several international tournaments from her early age and has won some South Asian medals at the junior level. Republica caught up with Shrestha to talk about her journey.[break]
How long have you been playing table tennis?
I started table tennis from the age of 13 and it’s already been nine years. I used to study in Bijeshwari Higher Secondary School. The school had hired Coach Rakesh Maharjan to train us. I participated in the Purnaman Memorial Table Tennis Tournament for the first time and claimed a medal in the very first participation at the competitive level.
How did you get inspired to take up table tennis as your sports career?
I used to play taekwondo in my early days and took its training for years. By then, I used to play table tennis also with friends. We used to play on the cemented board whenever we got leisure time in school. Later, the school hired a coach and provided us table tennis training. Probably, the coach saw some potential in me. He asked me to quit taekwondo for table tennis.
What were/are the challenges that you face/d while learning table tennis?
There was no problem for me to pursue sports. I received scholarship from my school as an athlete and it encouraged me to play. Later, Prime College also provided scholarship to me when I studied +2 and Bachelor level there. The only challenge was to convince my father on the issue of quitting taekwondo for table tennis. A friend of my father’s was a taekwondo player and my father wanted to see me as a top taekwondo player. He was against quitting taekwondo since I had already played it for some years.
What are your major achievements so far?
I had claimed four bronze medals in the Junior South Asian Table Tennis Championships held in India and Pakistan. However, I’m yet to win a medal in the South Asian Games (SAG). I’ve played five national tournaments and clinched three gold medals and a bronze so far. I have also won gold medals in ranking tournaments. Since the Sixth National Games held in the Far Western Region, I’m securing top ranks.
How did you manage to reach the summit of table tennis rankings?
I used to secure gold at the junior level and challenge my seniors from my early days. However, Coach Sushil Paudel suggested that I focus on the senior level competitions and stop playing at the junior level. I had a fear but I claimed a bronze in the Fifth National Games and it gave me a moral boost. Later, I proved my mettle at the senior level.
In the past, Nepal had won gold in the South Asian Games. Where does Nepal stand in terms of competitiveness at the international level at present?
We’ve been claiming bronze medals occasionally at the South Asian level. If we improve our training and enrich it by technology, we have a chance to go above Sri Lanka at the South Asian competitions. I don’t think it’s impossible to beat India but it would be too tough for us to be the top South Asian country. Frankly speaking, we can’t expect medals at the Asian levels in the present scenario. All the top players of the world ranking are from other Asian countries.
What should be done to develop table tennis in Nepal?
We have to uplift the level of training methods and facilities. We have to enrich our training with technology. We need frequent international exposure and training opportunities. Meanwhile, the government and our association should create an environment where players need not bother about their future.
What differences do you find now and during the time that you started learning table tennis?
At the individual level, I can see a better environment. Our seniors had job opportunities only as trainers in schools. Now, departmental teams – Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army – are enrolling table tennis players. Schools and colleges are providing scholarships. However, we’re slipping down in terms of overall development. We used to listen to senior players calling China as Mama Ghar (house of maternal uncle) since they used to get frequent chances of attending trainings there. The number of international participation used to be more then than now. But due to the lack of international exposures, we couldn’t improve the level of our game.
What are your plans and targets now?
I have a dream of claiming a gold medal in the South Asian Games. I’ll work on it and give my hundred percent for it. If you’re talking about my long-term plans, I want to spend my life in table tennis if I could see good future in it, otherwise I’ll focus on my management study and related professional life.
What message do you have for the upcoming generation?
There is scope in Nepali sports, up to a level. Set an aim and follow it.
By Nabin Khatiwada
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