The victory gave West Bengal a crucial 2-1 lead over Maharashtra in the women’s team event, which they eventually won 3-1.
The victory also gave Mouma newfound hope, which may seem far-fetched for someone who has come back so strongly from a three-year break at the age of 38. The desire to return to the Indian team.
Mouma had told herself that she would be back playing professionally in six months after giving birth in December 2019. After all, she had a fantastic 2018, winning gold in the Commonwealth Games women’s team and silver in the women’s doubles with Manika Batra.
However, the world came to a halt in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and Mouma became preoccupied with caring for her young daughter.
I had no idea I’d be so busy. I’m not sure how moms who are professional athletes find time to exercise, she says.
So, what is her daily routine like?
Well, my daughter eats breakfast for an hour, lunch for an hour, and dinner for an hour. In between, there’s snack time. Oh, I have to cook the food as well, she laughs.
I have to structure my day around her schedule. For the time being, I only train for a couple of hours in the morning. Fortunately, I have a very supportive husband and family who understand that table tennis is my life and are willing to go to any length to help my career, she says.
Right now, I have to push my body while also being cautious of injuries. An injury could be devastating to my career. I’m going to work with a physio and a trainer as soon as I return for these National Games. I believe I need to make the finals of a few national-level tournaments before seeing what I can do. I’m overjoyed, she says.
