'It felt bad to be out of Olympics, I was crying': Manika Batra opens up on heartbreaks, personal goals, and more
In the latest episode of the '
Game On'
podcast, hosted by Preeti Dhaiya, star Indian table tennis player
Manika Batra
spoke candidly about the emotional highs and lows of her sporting journey.
Known for her fearless gameplay and steely focus, Batra offered a rare glimpse into the vulnerability and pressure athletes experience behind the scenes, especially in a cricket-dominated country where many other sports struggle for the spotlight.
Game On
aims to shift the narrative by focusing on the stories of India's women and youth athletes.
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In this episode, Batra spoke openly about her 2024 Olympics heartbreak, the toll of defeat, and her renewed determination heading into the next cycle.
"At that time, I trained so hard when we were in the camp, we worked really hard," she recalled. "It feels bad because after working so hard for four years, if you lose, it hurts. I wasn't satisfied, but I was still happy with my performance. It feels bad that I couldn't bring back a medal, but now I have four years for LA 2028."
The Olympian also shared what it felt like to miss out on her goals at the world's biggest sporting stage.
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"Sometimes it feels like four years are not enough, and even a year before the Olympics, your heartbeat starts racing. It felt bad to be out of the Olympics last year — when I came off the court, I spoke to my coach, I was crying," she added
Yet, her resilience shone through as she added: "In that moment, it depends on how you take the loss, what your mindset is. I had team matches coming up next, so I had to focus on that. We played really well in the team matches — I would say it was my best performance so far."
As she looks ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, Batra remains one of India's brightest hopes in table tennis. Her journey is a reminder that beyond the medals and rankings, it's the emotional grit and determination that truly define champions.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
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