Sreeja Akula is an Indian paddler who has represented India in many national and international competitions. In August 2022, she became the center of attention after winning the table tennis gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
Wiki/Biography
Sreeja Akula was born on Friday, July 31, 1998, in Hyderabad, Telangana, India (24 years old; as of 2022). Sreeja completed her 10th standard from Rose Convent High School, after which she attended Badlukar Junior College and completed her education. After completing her education, Sreeja enrolled in Badlukar College of Arts and Commerce where she pursued her higher education.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′4″
Weight (approximately): 55kg
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
Her father’s name is Praveen Akula. Her mother’s name is Sai Souda. Her sister Ravali Akula is a table tennis player.
husband
Sreeja Akula is unmarried.
Profession
Sreeja Akula started her table tennis career at a very young age. In an interview, she claimed that she decided to pick up a racket after being inspired by watching her sister play table tennis. she says,
As a kid, as a kid… I used to watch my sister compete in table tennis tournaments and win them. From that point on, I decided to follow in her footsteps and become a professional table tennis player. “
Sreeja Akula participated in the 2013 National Youth Table Tennis Championships. There she won a silver medal. In 2018, Sreeja Akula defeated Tamil Nadu table tennis player Saleendeepthi 4-2 to win the National Ranking Tournament (North Zone) held in New Delhi.
Sreeja Akula after winning the National Ranking Tournament (North Zone)
In 2018, Sreeja Akula joined the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under the sports quota. An employee of the Reserve Bank of India, she has represented the organization in several national-level tournaments. Later in 2018, Sreeja Akula along with Nikhat Banu won a gold medal in the women’s doubles event at the 80th National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championships in Cuttack, Odisha.
Sreeja Akula wins gold with her women’s doubles partner
Sreeja Akula, participated in the National Ranking (Western Zone) Table Tennis Championships in 2019. The championship was held at Thane, Mumbai. In 2020, Sreeja Akula won the national championship at the National Table Tennis Ranking Tournament (North Zone) held in Sonipat. Later in 2020, Sreeja Akula won a bronze medal at the 82nd UTT Junior and Junior National Table Tennis Championships organized by Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).
Sreeja Akula and her coach finished second at UTT 82nd Junior and Junior National Table Tennis Championships
In 2021, Sriya Akula won the silver medal in the women’s doubles competition at the World Table Tennis Championships. The competition was held in Doha, Qatar. In April 2022, Sreeja Akula defeated West Bengal paddler Mouma Das to win the national championship at the 83rd National Adult Table Tennis Championships.
Sreeja Akula wins the 83rd Adult Table Tennis Championship
In the same year, Srija Akula won two gold medals at the National Women’s Table Tennis Championships. These events are being organized for the first time in Telangana.
Sreeja Akula wins two gold medals at women’s national championships
In 2022, Srija Akula will join the Indian table tennis team and represent India in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. On August 7, 2022, in the bronze medal play-off, Srija Akula was defeated by Australian paddler Liu Yangzi in the women’s singles competition. Sreeja lost with a score of 3-4. Sreeja Akula and Achanta Sharath Kamal won the gold medal in the mixed doubles event at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on August 8, 2022. The two defeated the Malaysian pair Javen Choong and Karen Lyne with a score of 3-1.
Sreeja Akula and Sharath Kamal after winning gold medal in CWG Mixed Doubles 2022
Facts/Trivia
- Sreeja Akula claimed in an interview that Indian rower Achanta Sharath Kamal inspired her. she says,
He’s a really great player, at a completely different level than us, but he’s also an incredible mentor. During our training in Chennai, he always came and gave us advice, played with us and kept motivating and encouraging us to do better in table tennis. So, I always draw inspiration from him. “
- In 2022, after winning the 83rd National Adult Table Tennis Championship, Sreeja Akula became the second national champion after Mir Khasim Ali in 1964. Champion Telangana paddler. Sreeja Akula said in an interview,
I am very happy. I still can’t believe I won the national championship. I didn’t expect to win. But I did put in the effort. I would like to dedicate this to my coach Somnath Ghosh and fitness coach Hirak Bagchi. I have been training with Mr. Somnath for more than ten years and have been waiting for this moment. All games are tough. But I stayed focused. The semi-final (Ayhika Mukherjee) was the toughest game I have ever played. “
- As of 2022, Sreeja Akula’s national table tennis ranking is 1 and her international ranking is 68.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education