Table tennis champ and Indian top ranker Naina Jaiswal wants to represent the country in the coming Olympic games. “I want to compete in Olympics in 2016 and make a mark in table tennis,” said Naina who is all of 13 years old.
The child prodigy will take up professional sport beginning this year and her training will be handled by Inspire Gym for ladies in Abids. Till present, veteran coach SM Arif was in charge of Naina’s routine.
The official announcement ceremony was attended by fitness expert Dinaz Vervatwala and Arjuna awardee Mir Kasim Ali. “Naina is at a very important stage in her life where she needs to work on her speed, agility and fitness. Her body will go through a lot of changes for which she needs to be conditioned mentally and physically as the players out there are very fierce,” said fitness expert Dinaz Veratvala.
Talking about how players have access to more facilities today, Mir Kasim Ali said, “In my time there was only one coach to train us but today I see 100 coaches in AP. The sad state of affairs is that not a single player has come in the last 40 years. Now that is changing with players like Naina and other girls coming up in a big way.”
Naina is the youngest girl in Asia to have completed her matriculation at the tender age of 10. She was home-schooled by her mother till the age of five after which her father took over her education. “My basics in all subjects are very good so I’m able to handle the pressure well,” adds the ambidextrous sports person. She plans to become an IAS officer and will continue to pursue her studies simultaneously with her training.