Samarth Soni, a dedicated and spirited 15-year-old student of grade 9C Bethany High Sarjapur, has made remarkable strides in table tennis. In July 2024, he competed in the CISCE Regional Table Tennis Tournament at Bethany High School, Sarjapur, where he played against the best of 55 schools
and finished 4th in the singles category. This impressive performance qualified him for the CISCE National Championship in Lucknow, held from September 26th to 29th. Samarth’s journey in table tennis began just two years ago in 2022. An only child with a natural athletic inclination, Samarth advanced at the sport at his apartment’s society tournament, where he competed in both the under-15 and under-40 categories. His parents encouraged him to attend a table tennis academy, where he trained for two months. His love for the game grew, and he soon realized his strength lay in singles, where he felt fully in control. Although his first open tournament didn’t end in victory, it fueled his determination to improve. By 2023, he played in another open tournament at BTM, going head-to-head with players of all ages—a challenge he considers one of his toughest yet. However, these adversities prepared him for the CISCE National Championship. At the Nationals, Samarth faced intense competition, with matches being conducted from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. His dedication paid off when his team advanced to the finals, winning the semi-final against Punjab with a clean 3-0 score and defeating Maharashtra in the finals 3-1, securing the gold in the under-17 team category. Throughout this journey, his mother was by his side in Lucknow, offering unwavering support. To stay calm during matches, Samarth practices deep breathing and draws strength from his faith. Between rigorous training sessions at the Rashtrotthana-Scooled Table Tennis Arena and balancing academic commitments, he showed a commendable commitment to his sport. As Samarth reflects on his journey, he expresses gratitude for this unforgettable experience and is keen to continue training for even bigger events. We congratulate Samarth on his gold medal victory and look forward to seeing this talented young player reach even greater heights!
