PANJIM: Wesley do Rosario is the captain of the India table tennis team which participated in FISU World University Games in progress in Chengdu, China, from July 28 to August 8.
India, with 230 athletes, is one among 119 nations competing in 18 sports with 268 events. The multi-sport event was originally scheduled to take place in 2021 but was postponed for two successive years due Covid pandemic. Wesley was part of the 5-member men’s squad which comprised Divyansh S, Himnakulhpunghe, Mudit Dani and Jaynil Mehta.
The TT event was held from July 29 to August 5 and the Wesley-led team was just one medal away in team championship having lost in the quarter-finals to the powerful Chinese Taipei team. Earlier, India beat the powerful South Korean team in the pre-quarters. In the men’s individual event, Wesley qualified in the main draw but lost to a Chinese Taipei player after defeating a group of players from Japan and Oman. In the doubles event, the team lost in the first round and in the mixed doubles lost in Round 32.
Overall, India fielded three Olympians in the squad – shooters Manu Bhaker, Elavenil Valariva – swimmer Srihari Nataraj, stars like Asian sprint hurdles champion Jyothi, Commonwealth bronze medalist high jumper Tejaswin Shankar, Asian 20km walk silver medalist Pryianka Goswami. As on Saturday, India were at the fourth position after China, Korea, Japan, having won 26 medals in all – 11 gold (shooting 8, archery 3), five silver, 10 bronze.
Meanwhile, Wesley will be participating in the 37th National Games to be held in Goa representing the Haryana State in table tennis, as only the quarter-finalists of national competition are eligible.
Meanwhile, there seems to be a sort of a problem concerning the cash awards to be received by Wesley. There was a delay in getting the cheques from SAG concerning his prize money from 2011 in 2013. Two cheques were issued by SAG, but these could not be encashed and were returned by the bank due to the limitation period. These needed to have been returned to SAG for issuance of new cheques. He also won several medals, post 2013 upto 2018 and consequently eligible for the cash awards. The issue is somewhat tricky. The Gordian knot will need the intervention of Sports Minister Govind Gaude for a sporting solution. When contacted, retired SAG Executive Director, V M Prabhudesai, could not recollect the old issue, if any, and that the cheques ought to have been sent for reissuing, once returned by the bank. These are procedural matters which need to be adhered to, he added.
