A district-level table tennis championship was orgsed in Srinagar that allowed players to return to the court after a long Covid induced break of around nine months.
The championship orgsed by the Srinagar District Table Tennis Association under the aegis of the J-K Table Tennis Association at Indoor Sports Hall Stadium provided a much-needed boost to players to resume the practice.
As many as 80 players including both men and women participated in different categories in the championship.
A participant Mehboob Ali said that players will get motivated if they get to play in many more tournaments like this. "If there are more tournaments, players will get motivation and they will eventually perform well at the state and national level. Such tournaments should take place on a regular basis," he said.
Another participant Obair Arif said that the winners and runner-ups will get to play at the state level.
"Those who qualify at the state level will be selected at the national level. Around 80 players including boys and girls participated in different categories," he said.
Qazi Inam, orgsing secretary of the championship said that the event has given a boost to the players who could not continue with their practice during the lockdown.
"During the lockdown, players were at their home. This champion has given a boost to the players. We have kept the junior category and sub-junior category. There were different tournaments for different categories. Table tennis is very useful for us because most of the time there are winters in Jammu and Kashmir so we cannot play outdoor sports much."
Cricketer Parvez Rasool, who was also present at the championship to encourage the young players, said that he thinks that many more players in the game from Jammu and Kashmir in the coming time.
"Such championships should be orgsed in the future as well. There is a very good atmosphere. I think we will be able to produce good players in the coming time. I as a cricketer like and play table tennis as it improves eyesight. When players compete with each other, their game improves," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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