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Archana Kamath, a member of India's table tennis team at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, left the sport due to a lack of long-term financial security. The 24-year-old, on the other hand, intended to relocate to the United States for further study. The news emerged after she informed her coach, Anshul Garg, of her decision. At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the Indian paddler was in top form. Kamath was a member of the Indian women's team that reached the quarterfinals for the first team in history.
She was the sole performer in India’s quarterfinal match against Germany – winning the only game against much higher-ranked Xiaona Shan. However, the Indian team eventually lost the game. Garg got to know about Kamath’s decision to give up on table tennis when she asked whether there was a possibility of winning a medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.
"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," Garg was quoted as saying to The Indian Express.
Her father also said that Archana is a brilliant student and that the paddler has no regrets about the choices she has made for her career.
"Archana has always been academically oriented and all along her TT career has pursued her studies with graduation in Economics and has recently completed the requirements for a Master's degree in International Relations, Strategies, and Securities. Having played table tennis with so much dedication and passion for more than 15 years which culminated in her representing our country at the Olympics, she felt it was time for her to pursue her other passion- full-time studies. She has taken this difficult step with absolutely no regrets and after having given her best for the sport and the country," Archana's father Girish said.
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