Unstoppable Sharath Kamal: Quest for Olympic glory

Age is merely a number for India's iconic table tennis player, Sharath Kamal.

At 42, he continues to defy expectations and dominate the sport. Sharath's legendary career, which began at the tender age of four, reads like a fairytale.

Now, as the flagbearer of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Olympic Games, he carries the nation's hopes, aiming to crown his remarkable journey with a historic medal.

Humble beginnings

Achanta Sharath Kamal was born in Chennai on July 12th, 1982. His introduction to table tennis came early, at the age of four, thanks to his father, A. Srinivasa Rao, and his uncle, Muralidhar Rao, who had both previously played the game before transitioning into coaching aspiring youngsters.

Table tennis was clearly in Sharath's genes. However it wasn't an easy path for Sharath in the beginning. He struggled with accepting defeats and often became frustrated after losses.

His father and uncle played crucial roles in his mental conditioning, helping him cope with in-game pressures. Sharath spent his time practicing the game every day after school with his uncle.

However, at 15, Sharath faced a difficult decision: pursuing table tennis or continuing his higher studies. He chose table tennis, marking a turning point in his life. By the age of 16, Sharath had embarked on his professional career, participating in various state-level competitions.

Turning point

Despite his successful stints at the state level, Sharath initially found it difficult to break into the national arena. Known for his aggressive approach, Sharath lacked consistency in the beginning. However, at the age of 20, he received his first call-up for the 16-man probables training camp for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

This opportunity marked a turning point in Sharath's career, providing him the platform to launch his career on a bigger stage.

Following this, Sharath reached the finals of the Senior National Championships and secured a bronze medal at the 2002 National Games. Over the next two years, he won the National Championship, and from 2006 to 2010, he claimed the title five consecutive times.

Sharath was also selected to represent the country at the 2004 South Asian Games, where he won the gold medal in the team event as India thrashed neighbors Pakistan 3-0.

Sharath managed to win three gold medals at the event but was denied the fourth when he lost to fellow compatriot Soumyadeep Roy in the final of the men's singles.

In 2004, a defining moment in Sharath's career came when he won his first singles gold medal at the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships. Sharath secured qualification for the Athens Olympics, etching his name in Indian table tennis history. However, Sharath's maiden Olympic campaign didn’t end well as he bowed out to Hong Kong’s Ko Lai Chak in the second round.

The dream run

Sharath made his Commonwealth debut at the 2006 Melbourne Games. As the top seed, he received direct entry to the round of 32 and went on to clinch the gold medal, defeating Australia's William Henzell 4-3 in the finals.

The two golds at the Commonwealth Games and the subsequent run earned him his second Olympic ticket to Beijing. However, his Olympic journey ended in disappointment when he lost to Austria's Chen Weixing 1-4 in the second round.

In 2010, Sharath became the first Indian table tennis player to win an ITTF Pro Tour title by beating Hong Kong’s Li Ching in the Egypt Open finals. He also won medals in the team events at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. A period of setbacks followed, marked by a lack of titles or medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.

He also fell short of qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics. However, his determination paid off when he qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics, signaling a turning point as Sharath Kamal's finest moment was just around the corner.

At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Sharath clinched medals in every event he participated in, winning gold, silver, and two bronze medals. He continued his form into the 2018 Asian Games, winning two bronze medals.

At 37, Sharath qualified for another Olympic Games. After a first-round bye, he displayed dominance with a hard-fought 4-2 victory over Portugal's Tiago Apolonia in the second round but bowed out to Chinese legend Ma Long in the third round.

In 2022, at the age of 40, Sharath won his 10th national title before heading to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games. The season witnessed Sharath Kamal's golden run. He triumphed in the men's singles final, defeating England's Liam Pitchford.

His Midas touch extended to the mixed doubles event, where he partnered with Sreeja Akula to secure another gold. Sharath Kamal wasn't done yet when he added a silver medal in the men's doubles with Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and a team gold to his impressive CWG haul.

Sharath also had a brief stint in international club competitions, playing in the German Bundesliga, which presented him with a new set of challenges.

Looking ahead

Sharath's sporting excellence extended beyond the court, earning him prestigious awards. In 2004, he received the Arjuna Award for his contributions to Indian table tennis. This was followed by the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, in 2019. In 2022, he was honored with the Khel Ratna Award, India's highest sporting accolade.

At 41, Sharath is gearing up for another challenge: the 2024 Paris Olympics. "I am happy that I'm scaling new heights with each passing year, besides improving both physically and mentally. I hope the best is yet to come," said Sharath.

Sharath Kamal, not only the official flag bearer of the Indian contingent but also the torchbearer of Indian table tennis hopes, will be aiming for Parisian glory at the upcoming Olympics.