Raman resigns as National table tennis head coach
The Hindu
CHENNAI: S. Raman, who took over as National table tennis head coach last July, has resigned from th
S. Raman, who took over as National table tennis head coach last July, has resigned from the post. The 53-year-old, appointed by the Committee of Administrators for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, said he had put in his papers after the election of office-bearers of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) in December last year.
“It was a smooth affair. Nobody forced me to resign. I recently spoke to the new TTFI Secretary Kamlesh Mehta, and told him about my preference. He was okay with it,” Raman told The Hindu on Thursday.
Explaining his stand, Raman said: “I wanted to work as hard as I can and produce 6-8 Indian men and women players who can reach the world’s top 40/20. Unfortunately, there were neither enough National camps nor enough funds. There was no continuity also. I am not cut out for it and also don’t believe in an ornamental post. Now, I am free to work at my academy here.”
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.