Costantini returns to Indian Table Tennis team as foreign coach

The 66-year-old was the Indian coach on two previous occasions, and has been admired by quite a few Indian players including 10-time National champion Sharath Kamal.

FILE PHOTO: Massimo Costantini and Sharath Kamal | Photo Credit: K. Ananthan/The Hindu

Italy’s Massimo Costantini has been chosen as the foreign coach of the Indian table tennis team on a two-year-term. He is expected to reach India soon. 

The 66-year-old was the Indian team’s coach on two previous occasions, from 2009 to 2010 and from 2016 to 2018. During his period, India won a record eight medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and two bronze medals at the 2018 Asian Games.

Massimo, who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics, has been liked and admired by quite a few Indian players including 10-time National champion Sharath Kamal.

After Massimo left in 2018, the team hasn’t had the services of a foreign coach.

Though the Italian is expected to be with the team for the Paris Olympics, other important issues related to his terms of contract, including his salary, number of years he’ll be with the team, among other things will be formally completed after he reaches India.

The Indian players would be heaving a sigh of relief for finally a foreign coach will be with the team after six long years. 

In a message to Sportstar, India’s paddler Harmeet Desai said, “It’s great to have a national team coach after such a long time. We won’t be having much time to train under him before the Olympics but we all will try our best to make the best use of what is left. We have had great results under Massimo and I hope that we can do even better this time.”