China training stint to come handy in 2010 CWG: TT coach

Indian paddlers' current training stint in China, their third within a year, will help them finetune their skills as they look to bag a handful of medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, national coach Massimo Constantini.

Indian paddlers' current training stint in China, their third within a year, will help them finetune their skills as they look to bag a handful of medals in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, national coach Massimo Constantini.

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Constatini, who is with the Indian players currently undergoing a 17-day special camp in Zhengding, China, said playing practice matches against Chinese paddlers would pay rich dividends in the Delhi Games.

"In next year's Commonwealth Games, we are going to play mostly against the Chinese players (representing nations like Singapore, Australia, Canada and Malaysia). So we need to be closer to them by making ourselves habitual to their style of play to succeed next year," Constantini told PTI from China.

"I believe training in China gives the players a different motivation. A different lifestyle and food. We are training at a table tennis superpower country. So, the entire mentality of our players change," he said.

Of late, the ping pong sport in India is making strides towards professionalism, especially in the run-up to the Delhi Games, which has made Constatini happy.