Aim to make it to the World Cadet Challenge: Preyesh

“I am happy to have finished second. I put in a lot of hard work ahead of the tournament and I feel that helped me achieve a podium finish,” said an elated Preyesh. Having finished runner-up in Bangkok, the local lad is now eligible to take part in the World Hopes Week and Challenge in Spain. The event will be held between July 30 and August 5. It will serve as selection criterion for World Cadet Challenge in Japan in October. “I am aiming to finish in the top two spots, which will guarantee a place for me in the WCC,” said the student of the Chennai Public School in Anna Nagar.

Asked if he was assured of clinching a medal in the event held at the Singapore International School in Bangkok, he said, “I was not very confident of making it to the final but I knew I had the potential to finish in top-three.”

Preyesh recently received a silver plate and a cash award of Rs 14,500 from the Chennai District Table Tennis Association (CDTTA) for his stellar show in the previous season. Commenting on it, the 12-year-old remarked, “It feels satisfying to have been rewarded for what I managed to achieve in 2017. I will keep pushing myself and try to play better with the opportunities I am presented with.”

“He did exceedingly well in the group stages. He has usually done well in the finals before but unfortunately he fell in his final hurdle,” said Preyesh’s mother on his performance.