'Gave her all to country': 24-yo Archana Kamath quits table tennis to pursue studies abroad after failing to win medal at 2024 Olympics
After a historic run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she advanced beyond the Round of 16 for the first time ever, 24-year-old Archana Kamath has shocked the sports world by deciding to quit following her loss to Germany in the women¡¯s table tennis quarter-finals. Her sudden exit has ignited a critical conversation about the severe financial challenges facing table tennis and the sustainability of supporting athletes in the sport.
There were doubts when Kamath was selected over Ayhika Mukherjee for the table tennis team at the Paris Olympics 2024, who had recently defeated World No. 1 Sun Yingsha and was in exceptional form.?
Despite the skepticism, Kamath rose to the occasion, seeing the Indian women's table tennis team to a historic quarterfinals berth at the Paris 2024 Olympics¡ªits best performance ever at the Games.?
Kamath played a crucial role, securing the sole victory in the tie against the higher-ranked Xiaona Shan.
But Kamath¡¯s record wasn't enough to keep her in the game. She posed a crucial question to her coach, Anshul Garg: was there a realistic chance of winning a medal at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics??
Garg's response was sobering.
He revealed to The Indian Express: "I told her that it's difficult. It's going to take a lot of hard work. She's ranked outside the top 100 in the world but she improved so much in the past couple of months. But I think she had already made up her mind to go. And once she makes up her mind, it's difficult to change it."
What Kamath said in response to Garg's answer left him stunned -?she decided to quit.?
Instead of continuing in table tennis, where the rewards are slim unless you reach the semifinals, she chose to focus on long-term goals by studying abroad.?
"My brother works at NASA. He's my idol and he too encourages me to study. So I make the time to complete all my studies and I enjoy it. I'm good at it too," she had previously shared with The Indian Express.
Kamath, who has always balanced her athletic career with academics, completed her graduation in Economics and recently fulfilled the requirements for a Master's in International Relations, Strategies, and Securities.?
Her dedication to table tennis over the past 15 years culminated in her Olympic appearance, but she now feels it's time to fully commit to her other passion¡ªher studies.?
"Archana has taken this tough decision with no regrets, having given her all to the sport and her country," Archana's father Girish told The Indian Express.
While this leaves Indians with mixed emotions, it raises important questions which remain unanswered: Beyond cricket, why are professional careers in other sports not as financially rewarding? What changes are needed in the country to provide greater support for our athletes?
For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
