My legs were slow, says Soumyajit Ghosh

NAGPUR: Having failed to focus and keep the momentum going, Silliguri-born paddler Soumyajit Ghosh is a bit dejected after being ousted in the second round of the London Olympics.
After a fine start with a 4-2 victory over Brazil's Gustavo Tsuboi, the 19-year-old Ghosh found better ranked Kim Hyok Bong of North Korea hard to handle before going down in the men's singles second round table tennis event on Sunday. His defeat also ended India's challenge in the Olympics.
The spirited show of 206th ranked Ghosh saw a tough start for Kim - ranked 77th in the world - but for the experienced paddler it was an easy outing at the end. The North Korean won 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7.
Entering the vast and experienced field of paddlers at the world's biggest stage, Ghosh, a confident teenager, started his campaign on a bright note but was unable to raise his level in the second round.
"I started my first Olympic experience with a free play against higher-ranked Gustavo and displayed a similar energy against Kim which helped me capture the first game. After taking a 6-4 lead in the second game, I don't know what happened and what stopped me as I became passive. My legs were slow," Ghosh told TOI.
"I think, I didn't play my best and let him play. Kim was beatable too but I could not rise to the occasion like yesterday," he added.
On his London experience, the 19-year-old added, "To be true, I was surprised when I qualified ahead of my seniors Sharath and Amalraj but I enjoyed my first experience at the Olympics. First round victory gave me good confidence and I am looking forward for my upcoming tournaments. Honestly, it was a good learning experience for me."