Not just teaching TT; we're building athletes: Sunil Joshi

The Uttar Pradesh Table Tennis team has won a bronze medal at the senior national championship only twice: at Vallabh Vidya Nagar, Gujarat in 1977 and thereafter, in 2000, here in Lucknow, in its 61 years of existence since 1954.

- Sharad Deep

LUCKNOW:

During the 2000 event at the Gomti Nagar Stadium, a series of episodes unfolded. Uttar Pradesh men, comprising Parag Agarwal, SP Singh, Zabarjeet Singh and Ksuhik Dey Sarkar, came from behind to win the battle against Tamil Nadu 3-2 to make it to the semi-final, before losing to Petroleum, 2-3, in the semi-final.

The play-off for the bronze medal saw UP win and consequently, UP coach Sunil Joshi quit smoking, as he had vowed to do so only if Uttar Pradesh made a podium finish. A tense Joshi was caught puffing by his father just outside the playing arena when Uttar Pradesh was down 0-2.

Seeing his father, Joshi promised him to quit smoking, if UP made it to the semi-finals. However, the UP men came out with bronze medals around their necks and Joshi quit smoking forever.