"I would say the team is 99% ready" - Manav Thakkar ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024

Manav Thakkar, the 24-year-old paddler from India, is preparing for his maiden Olympic appearance at the Paris Olympics later this month. The Rajkot native has already achieved some significant milestones in the sport, winning an Asian Games medal in addition to several medals at international tournaments. Thakkar has also held the prestigious title of World No. 1 in both the under-19 and under-21 categories during his junior days.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, he shared insights into his preparation for the Olympics and how the presence of someone like Sharath Kamal could help ease the pressure at an event of this stature. Thakkar also spoke about the changes brought forth by coach Massimo Costantini since his appointment as the national coach.

Reflecting on his earlier experiences while training under Coach Massimo, Thakkar recalled:

"He [Coach Massimo Costantini] was there, I think, four to five years ago when I was playing in Under-18, and I became World No. 1 Under-18 under him. So yes, he's back after five, six years."

Though recent, the return of coach Massimo has helped the Indian table tennis team, as evidenced by their impressive performances in recent tournaments. Thakkar elaborated on these recent successes under Massimo's guidance:

"After he came back, we had a national training camp in Bangalore, followed by the three tournaments we played in Nigeria, Tunisia, and Lagos. In Nigeria, it was a very good performance from the Indian team. Me and Harmeet, we won gold in men's doubles. Sreeja won gold in women's singles, followed by Archana and Sreeja in women's doubles."

Thakkar also went on to talk about the positive impact of Massimo's experience and his dedication to making the team 100% ready for the Paris Olympics.

"He's been sharing his experience, like what are the things, difficult things which happen, and how to overcome it. We are at the last leg of our preparations before the Paris Olympics, and we are going to Germany for the training camp. So, I would say the team is 99% ready; we have to be just ready one more percent, and then we'll go to Paris and we'll see that the team is fully ready, and good things will happen over there [Paris Olympics].” The Asian Games medalist said.

Coach Massimo’s influence extends beyond just strategy, technique, and experience; while his return has brought back a wealth of experience, the Italian coach has also introduced small changes in the team's training routine, which emphasizes team bonding and unity, crucial elements for success at the Olympics.

“So I would say that after our team qualified for the Olympics, it was more of an internal competition between the players. So after Massimo arrived, he united the players and made them a team once again. So he's working towards team bonding and everything because that's what's required when you go out there at the Olympics," Thakkar explained.

"He made this change that the whole team is together everywhere, whatever tournaments we played, and now also in the training camp, everyone's coaches, everyone's trainers, everybody's going together to be a team, and it will be under him. He'll be the head coach, followed by all the people around him,” he added.

This shift from individual to collective preparation has fostered better communication and collaboration among players and coaches.

"Before this was done individually by each and every player, but now he made everything all together and made a team so that it's better communication. Also, he can give his valuable inputs to the player as well as their coaches," Thakkar added.

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“With him being in the team will ease pressure on me and Harmeet” - Manav Thakkar on having Sharath Kamal in the team

Manav Thakkar is set to make his Olympic debut at the upcoming games in Paris. The 24-year-old table tennis sensation will be part of the Indian men’s table tennis team, which includes Harmeet Desai and the legendary paddler Sharath Kamal.

While it is Thakkar's debut at the quadrennial games, Sharath Kamal is all set to make his fifth Olympic appearance. Expressing his admiration for the veteran paddler, Thakkar said:

“Obviously, yeah, he's also the flag bearer for the Indian team. So it's a very big achievement, and we as a team feel very proud, and we feel very fortunate to play with him, and he was my mentor for the for the last three, four years; he's been mentoring me.”

Sharath's presence in the team will also ease the pressure on younger players, providing them with the necessary support to tackle the pressures of an event like the Olympics.

"For me, it's a very good opportunity to also look at him, how he's preparing for his matches, how he performs at the bigger stages, and to learn from him and to apply it in my game. So obviously, with him being in the team, it will ease pressure on me and Harmeet as well because he'll guide us; he'll be like, You can go through this and what are the things to be done, how can you prepare well, and sort of things. So definitely it will be very helpful, and yes, we are looking forward and excited to play over there,” Thakkar elaborated.

While Manav is excited about having someone like Sharath Kamal alongside him, his excitement extends beyond his own sport. He is eager to meet fellow Indian athletes from various disciplines.

"I have not seen the Indian medalists like Sindhu, and even Lakshya Sen, Satwik-Chirag, the badminton players, and also the tennis players. They have been doing so well for the country, the shooters too. I've never seen them, and I love to see them and maybe also go to the events and support them," he shared.

The opportunity to witness other sports live and cheer for the Indian contingent is also something Thakkar looks forward to.

"What bigger than the Olympic Games. So it's a very good stage. I will go out there and cheer on our Indian team and hopefully also go for the opening ceremony. I have never been to something like this. So it will be a very good and life-taking experience for me, so looking forward to that," he concluded.