NEW DELHI: India’s junior paddlers seem to be hitting the right notes. While Manav Thakkar is standing on top of the U-21 rankings among boys, Archana Kamath has made it to No 2 in the girls’ section. But the Bengaluru paddler refuses to rest on her laurels and wants to keep improving.
One of the first things the 20-year-old has identified is improving her physical fitness. And she has been diligently working on it to ensure success in both U-21 and senior competitions. This is the reason why she skipped the Chennai camp.
“I read reports stating that I’m injured. That is not the case. The game has evolved. Fitness is of paramount importance. I love playing both categories but to win, especially at senior level, you need to move fast as well as improve your strength. All of which I’m doing currently which is why I decided to concentrate on the fitness aspect,” she told this daily.
She cites increased exposure as the main reason behind her rapid rise in ranking. She was 32 at the start of last year while being No 4 in December. “Thanks to TTFI, we all have got to play a lot — from UTT to Platinum Tour events. Playing senior events has translated into better showings in the age group category.”
She dedicates almost eight hours a day to honing her skills as well as strength training. Archana is currently training with former India coach Peter Engel in Berlin and will soon join the rest of the national team in Dusseldorf for the national camp. “The camp will help us prepare for the World Team Qualification event. The plan is to try different things so that we can prepare for any eventuality during the course of the tournament.”
Archana has been hailed by all the top Indian paddlers — A Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan, Manika Batra as the one to look out for. She even plays mixed doubles with India’s highest-ranked paddler Sathiyan. Do all these factors weigh on her mind? “Not really. All these motivate me to improve more. They are all legends of the game and I try to learn from them each time I’m around them.”
She is No 4 among Indians in the senior level but her sights are set on the biggest stage of them all, the Olympics. While 2020 will be unrealistic, it is never said never for Archana. “On any given day, the women’s team can spring a surprise. In mixed doubles, me and Sathiyan are a strong pair but we are taking it one step at a time. Let’s see what the future holds. I know I have time on my side and 2024 seems more realistic but I will try my best to make it there this time around.”