Returning to a warm welcome here after a spectacular Commonwealth Games performance, ace table tennis player Mouma Das on Tuesday said she was now eyeing a good show in the World Team championship in Sweden beginning later this month.
“Now my target is the World Team Championship. Next week I will be leaving for Sweden,” said Mouma, proudly displaying her double medal to a large number of cheering sports buffs, table tennis officials and family members at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Internatinal Airport.
The World Team Table Tennis Championships are scheduled to be held in Halmstad, Sweden from April 29 to May 6.
“If we can finish second in our group, there is a big chance of India participating in the team even in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. That’s why we are focussed on it,” said Mouma, who was part of the gold medal winning Indian women’s team at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. She also claimed the women’s doubles silver partnering Manika Batra.
Mouma was also hopeful of a good performance in the Jakarta Asian Games in August.
“My aim is to give off my best in Jakarta,” she said.
Asked about the team coach Italian Massimo Costantini, Mouma said: “His presence helped, as he was our coach during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. He knows all the players, their shortcomings, how they can be boosted. Personally speaking, I have learnt quite a few things from him.”
Mouma seemed bowled over by the enthusiasm of the fans at the airport, which helped her forget the tension of some of her luggage not arriving in Kolkata.
Leading the welcome party was West Bengal Minister of State for Sports Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who garlanded Mouma and another golden girl Sutirtha Mukherjee, who was part of the women’s team, as also the team coach Soumyadeep Roy.
The three were offered sweets and felicitated by the minister, and other table tennis officials with flowers and balloons.