Within our countdown into the Tokyo Olympics we’re frequently profiling a few of the greatest Indian trophy contenders.
Now we’ve got a shooter, that took up the game for a pastime and a dining table tennis celebrity – Abhishek Verma and Manika Batra.
Abhishek Verma (Shooting)Date of Birth: August 1, 1989 Age: 31 Birth Place: Panipat, Haryana Sport/Event(s): Taking (Air pistol) Significant accomplishments:* 2nd at ISSF World Ranking (2019) * Gold at 2019 Beijing World Cup (10m air pistol) Rio Gold in 2019 Rio de Janeiro World Cup (10m air pistol) * Bronze in 2018 Jakarta Asian Games (10m air pistol) * Silver Changwon World Championships (10m team atmosphere pistol) Abhishek Verma comes with a law degree and also ended shooting for a pastime.
The game intrigued him so much that he turned into a profession.
He won his first global medal – a bronze medal – at the 10m air pistol event in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
Abhishek subsequently won gold awards from ISSF World Cups from Beijing and Rio at 2019.
The golden medal in the 2019 Beijing World Cup aided Abhishek procure a quota area for the nation in the Tokyo Olympics.
Abhishek also won a bronze at the Delhi World Cup in March.
In the Beijing World Cup, Abhishek got the greater of 2008 Olympic winner Pang Wei and former world record holder at 10m air pistol event, Oleh Omelchuckto acquire gold.
Abhishek subsequently proceeded to catch his next World Cup gold medal in Rio de Janeiro.
An advocate from the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Abhishek began shooting only at age 27 and has experienced a massive rise.
Aside from being a lawyer, Abhishek can be a BTech degree in computer science.
Manika Batra (Table Tennis)Date of Birth: June 15, 1995 Age: 25 Birth Place: Delhi Sport/Event(s): Table Tennis (Singles, doubles, mixed doubles) Significant accomplishments:* Bronze in 2018 Jakarta Asian Games (Mixed doubles) * Gold in 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (Women’s group ) * Gold in 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (Women’s singles) * Silver 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (Women’s doubles) * Bronze in 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (Mixed doubles) * Gold in 2016 Guwahati/Shillong South Asian Games (Women’s group ) * Gold in 2016 Guwahati/Shillong South Asian Games (Women’s doubles) * Gold in 2016 Guwahati/Shillong South Asian Games (Mixed doubles) * Silver at 2016 Guwahati/Shillong South Asian Games (Women’s singles) Manika Batra has become the poster girl of Indian women’s Table Tennis for some time now.
She shot to fame when she won two gold awards at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Her bronze medal in the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games at the Mixed Doubles event with Achanta Sharath Kamal has been a historical one for the Nation.
Born and brought up in Delhi, Manika has changed her base for Pune to get coaching.
In August this past year, Manika was inoculated using the country’s greatest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, by President Ram Nath Kovind at a digital service.
Back in February this year, Manika acquired her next shameful Nationals Table Tennis Championships name.
She’d won her title in 2015.
Aside from the women’s sisters, Manika are also competing at the mixed doubles in the Tokyo Games together with Sharath Kamal Achanta.
Manika had showcased in her Olympics at Rio at 2016.
Manika and Sharath Kamal’s fantastic performance to meet the requirements for the combined doubles draw have left lots of wager on these as possible medal contenders from Tokyo.
Manika’s forehand has allegedly become deadly after coping with her trainer.
That is not all.
In an effort to become skinnier, Manika has roped in Kiryl Barabanov — even a Belarusian — because her former partner.