Achanta Sharath Kamal: India's Table Tennis Ace Eyeing Paris Olympics Glory

Achanta Sharath Kamal, a table tennis pro, has had an incredible few weeks. India became the first country to advance to the final eight of the Singapore Smash, a premier table tennis tournament, and was subsequently selected to represent the country at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games, which will take place from July 26 to August 11. These two achievements allowed India to qualify for the team event of the Paris Olympic Games for the first time.

It like being in a dream. Everything is moving so quickly that it's hard for me to keep up. Being the flag bearer was the cherry on top, along with qualifying for the Olympics and the Singapore show. I never imagined it would be this way. In the 2022 Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, boxer Nikhat Zareen and I carried the flag, but this is a fantastic tale," Sharath, 41, said to The Telegraph.

When the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) released his name for the opening ceremony, cynics said that gold medallist from the Tokyo Games, Neeraj Chopra, should have been the obvious option. This raised eyebrows. They most likely knowingly disregarded the fact that the winner of the javelin would only be in Paris during the second week of his competition.

Starting in 2004 in Athens, this will be Sharath's fifth and last Games. In the team event, the "long-playing record" is imagining a Paris high.

"In life, I've triumphed in every way. An Olympic medal is the only item lacking from the Asian Games medal and the Commonwealth Games gold medal. Indeed, it is feasible to win an Olympic medal for a table tennis team. The 16-team competition is a team event. After one victory, you advance to the quarterfinals. Anything may happen after that. We must have confidence in ourselves. In addition to careful preparation, luck will also play a part," Sharath expressed confidence.

The fact that Sharath has now regained his mojo after a more than year-long downward trend gives rise to optimism and confidence. With an impressive showing in Singapore Smash, he shot up 54 spots to 34 in the global rankings. He has fallen in the most recent rankings. Still, he is by far the best-ranked paddler from India and will compete in the singles competition as well.

Regarding the Olympic Games, Sharath's fondest memory is triumphing in a match in Tokyo in 2021 against Ma Long, the Chinese sensation who is considered to be the finest table tennis player of all time. Long prevailed 11-7, 8-11, 13-11, 11-4, and 11-4 in the third round, although Sharath would prefer to live forever on the memory of the second game.

"Despite the epidemic, the accompanying lockdown, and the absence of competitive matches, I was in the best form possible in Tokyo. both physically and formally. I won four medals, including three gold ones, in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham a year later, but it was nothing like the experience I experienced in Tokyo. Before Paris, I'll attempt to get to that point," he said.

Sharath is considering doing playing stints in Germany, South Korea, China, and the French capital as a kind of preparation. That's my approach to planning. In order to be match-ready, I would also participate in four or five events. I want to do something exceptional for my nation since it's my last."

When asked how many medals India may take home, he said, "It's hard to predict in the Olympic Games." Numerous elements are involved. However, we were able to achieve double digits for the first time. India had its best-ever Games in Tokyo, taking home seven medals.

As the vice-chairperson of the IOA's athletes' commission, Sharath has seen it all when it comes to Indian sport and believes that the country's continuous achievement in a variety of sports has altered people's perceptions. He shares a humorous story on how the attitude operated in the past. "People asked me what I did for a career after my 2009 wedding. People were shocked to learn that I could play table tennis for cash.

"I believe that Indian sport has grown over the past 15 years or so thanks to the success of the IPL, Abhinav Bindra's gold medal triumph, hosting of the 2010 CWG Games, and medals at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"After 2014, everything also improved in transparency and professionalism. With the government handling the rest, athletes could concentrate on their training and competitions. That is crucial.