Site Products
Table tennis prodigy determined to live up to favourite tag

Table tennis prodigy determined to live up to favourite tag

(Courtesy of buenosaires2018.com)
Table tennis prodigy determined to live up to favourite tag
Table tennis star Kanak Jha will enter the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) as one of the favourites to win the men’s singles gold. Despite his extraordinary talent and remarkable achievements to date, it is not a position the 17-year- old is used to.

Less than two years ago, Jha became the youngest competitor to represent the USA at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the first USA athlete born in the 2000s to qualify for an Olympic Games and the youngest male table tennis player ever to take up a spot at the Olympic Games. Having routinely smashed expectations, from the moment he won three junior categories and reached the men’s semi-finals in the 2013 USA National Championships aged 13, Jha has flourished at tournaments he is not even meant to be at.

It all changed in December 2017, however, when the Californian went to the North American YOG qualifier. It featured eight USA and eight Canadian players, all in a battle for one spot in the Buenos Aires 2018 draw. All eyes turned to Jha, the reigning back-to-back USA national champion.

“It was a different kind of pressure than before. For sure, I had a lot more expectations going in, I wanted to win,” he said, before betraying the kind of attitude that may well see him go a long way in the sport. “But it also gave me confidence to know I was one of the favourites to win the qualification (place). That helped.”

For full article, please click here

Latest News

Butterfly Training Tips with Bob Chen – After Serve Control and Short Ball Attack

April 18, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Bob Chen is working on the combo of Serve, Forehand… Read More

Butterfly Training Tips with Jabdiel Torres – Short Push & Forehand Loop

April 17, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Jabdiel Torres is working on his short game and transition… Read More

World Cup Macao: Main Draw

April 16, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT) Group play concluded today at the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macao. … Read More

Kanak Jha Reaches World Cup Final 16

April 16, 2025
(by Steve Hopkins) Kanak Jha has faced Germany’s Dang Qiu (Currently World No. 11) four times, and in… Read More

Butterfly Training Tips with Rachid El Bou Bou – Backhand & Forehand Loop Stroke Chemistry

April 16, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Rachid El Bou Bou is working on his Stroke Chemistry… Read More

Gold Rush Dominate And Win The MLTT Cup!

April 15, 2025
Carolina Strikes Gold 🏆 It’s official – the Carolina Gold Rush have claimed their first-ever Major League Table Tennis… Read More

The WTT Youth Contender Arrives In Puerto Rico For The First Time

April 15, 2025
(by: Edgardo Vázquez /Puerto Rico National Coach ) From March 26 to 29, 2025, the Puerto Rican Table… Read More

Butterfly Training Tips with Jonathan Pino – Flip to Modified Falkenburg

April 15, 2025
(by: Bowmar Sports) In this Butterfly Training Tips, Jonathan Pino is executing the Flip, to Modified Falkenburg https://youtu.be/xjXvY4pBKbs… Read More
View All News

Get the latest from Butterfly

Stay “In The Loop” with Butterfly professional table tennis equipment, table tennis news, table tennis technology, tournament results, and We Are Butterfly players, coaches, clubs and more.