Double Titles at Varanasi School Table-Tennis Meet

VARANASI: Pooja Yadav and Tanya Patel finished the 70th divisional school table-tennis championship with two titles each, leading a strong set of girls’ results at Babu R N Singh Indoor Sports Hall.

Pooja won the under-17 singles title, ahead of Anushka Verma and third-placed Ankita. She then paired with Anushka to defeat Rashi and Ankita 11-7, 11-6 in the doubles final. Tanya topped the under-19 singles standings, with Alka Yadav second and Kajal third, before Tanya and Alka edged Kajal and Komal 12-10, 11-9 for the doubles crown.

The under-14 competition was led by Vaishnavi Sahu, who took singles gold. Anupriya Patel finished second and Sakshi placed third. In doubles, Sakshi and Anupriya beat Arpita and Khushi 11-8, 11-7.

Those short score lines do not fully show the pressure of school competition. In a best-of-three match, a slow start leaves little time to recover. The under-19 doubles final was decided by four points across two games, with the first going beyond the usual eleven-point finish. Holding serve patterns and choosing safer placements under that pressure can matter more than hitting the hardest shot.

The championship brought together players from the division and gave selectors a current view of form across three age groups. It also provided younger players with match experience that routine practice cannot reproduce: unfamiliar opponents, official scoring, waiting between rounds and the expectation that every point is visible to teammates and teachers.

Chief guest Dr A K Singh presented the honours at the event, according to the organisers’ account. For schools, the next responsibility is to preserve the athletes’ momentum. Table tennis depends on regular access to a good table, adequate lighting, service practice and coaching that corrects movement before poor habits settle in. A tournament medal is encouraging, but development happens during the quieter weeks after the applause.

Girls’ participation also needs practical support. Competition schedules should account for safe transport, exam calendars and adequate changing facilities. Equipment does not have to be extravagant, but worn rubbers, damaged balls and uneven tables limit what a player can learn.

Pooja and Tanya leave the hall as double winners, while Vaishnavi carries the under-14 singles title. Anupriya and Sakshi’s doubles result shows that a player can recover from the singles order and still finish the meet with gold. That resilience is one of the best outcomes school sport can offer.

The divisional results now give coaches a useful map of where Varanasi’s young table-tennis talent stands. The next test will be whether these players receive enough competitive matches and patient technical work to turn a strong local season into progress at the state level.