In a first, full-time foreign coach to be hired for junior players

Indian table tennis will soon have the services of a full-time foreign coach each for senior and junior teams, an unprecedented move aiming to build on the historic gains made this year.

MP Singh, secretary general at the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), told PTI that the Sports Authority of India (SAI) gave a go ahead to having a separate head coach for senior and junior teams after a dream campaign at the Asian Games where the country won a couple of bronze medals.

The junior head coach will be appointed by next month while senior coach Massimo Costantini's replacement will be named by December.

The stellar performance at the Asian Games, where India won its first table tennis medal in 60 years, came after the high of Commonwealth Games where the nation topped the tally with eight medals including three gold.

"We have to have two separate foreign coaches for seniors and juniors. With senior likes of Sharath Kamal and Mouma Das not getting any younger, we have to ensure the ..