Interview with Indian table tennis legend Sharath Kamal: Paris 2024, a memorable 2022.
The 40-year-old Indian table tennis pioneer enjoyed his best season to date, winning four medals at the Commonwealth Games and receiving the Khel Ratna in the process. Achanta Sharath Kamal, a legendary figure in Indian table tennis, turned 40 in the same year that he had his best season in a long, illustrious career. Olympic fans can buy Olympic Table Tennis Tickets from our website.
Early on, he won his record-extending tenth national championship, and later, he won four medals at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, including his first-ever gold in the mixed doubles competition. Due to these accomplishments, the Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee also received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, which is the nation’s highest athletic honor.
He is a man full of confidence after the phenomenal year he has had, and the results have just strengthened his already iron drive. He is a master manipulator of the game and beautifully eloquent off it. He spoke informally with Scroll.in about his season, how he trained for the Commonwealth Games, his workout routine, and other topics.
Several quotes from the interview
What would you say the season of 2022 was like?
I wished the year would go on forever. In terms of performance or the kind of recognition I have received as a result of my table tennis achievements, this year has been the best one I’ve had. The IOA Athletes Commission vice-chair, and after that, co-chair of the ITTF Athletes Commission. There have been several events, particularly in the second half of 2022.
The start was likewise excellent. I won the Indian National Championships for the tenth time after competing in the semifinals of a tournament with a global rating (WTT Contender, Doha, in March). Because they were relatively insignificant compared to what followed subsequently, none of these items are even mentioned.
He is a man full of confidence after the phenomenal year he has had, and the results have just strengthened his already iron drive. He is a master manipulator of the game and beautifully eloquent off it. He spoke informally with Scroll.in about his season, how he trained for the Commonwealth Games, his workout routine, and other topics.
Several quotes from the interview
What would you say the season of 2022 was like?
I wished the year would go on forever. In terms of performance or the kind of recognition I have received as a result of my table tennis achievements, this year has been the best one I’ve had. The IOA Athletes Commission vice-chair, and after that, co-chair of the ITTF Athletes Commission. There have been several events, particularly in the second half of 2022.
The start was likewise excellent. I won the Indian National Championships for the tenth time after competing in the semifinals of a tournament with a global rating (WTT Contender, Doha, in March). Because they were relatively insignificant compared to what followed subsequently, none of these items are even mentioned.
Earlier, I believed that 2021 was my finest year due to the Olympic Games. It’s still being talked about how well and at what level I competed against the Olympic winner Ma Long. Because of how I played, how I conducted myself, and how well I played table tennis, I believe it will also be discussed in the years to come.
That was exceptional and at a very high level. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would be able to maintain that level of performance in 2022, but the outcomes have already surpassed 2021. I can’t really hope for anything better than what has been occurring. Olympic fans can buy Olympic 2024 Tickets from our website.
There was one gold medal at the CWG that you had never won before: mixed doubles. Do you recall the events leading up to Sreeja Akula and you earning that medal?
I had no idea what to anticipate going into the competition. Somnath Ghosh, Sreeja’s coach, and I have played together in the past; now days, all coaches are guys I’ve played with at some point. I suppose it just proves how enduring I am.
We have played together and have known each other for almost 25 to 30 years. We knew Sreeja would be on the team because she had won the national competition. He asked me, “Would it be possible for you to play with Sreeja if you don’t mind,” after the nationals.
I responded, “Yes, let’s play.”
In Hyderabad, we participated in some productive training sessions. Sreeja had high expectations. She was concerned to avoid any blunders since she believed that if we lost, it would be her fault.
It’s really simple for the lads to set up situations in mixed doubles where they can score points. But if the girls fall short, it’s difficult for the lads. But she really shone in the championship. I often felt that if the ball was played in a certain way the next time, I should keep explaining to her how to react. In the end, she had already done that by the time I had had the thought.
She continued to inspire confidence in me. I was performing well in the opening rounds. It got difficult for me after the quarterfinal, but she really rose to the occasion.
You previously mentioned how you didn’t do anything particularly noteworthy during the Ma Long match in the Tokyo Olympics, only displaying intent. Did that start to serve as a barometer for you, demonstrating your abilities and inspiring you to keep putting out quality work?
It did, indeed. For the Olympics, I had a lot of time to prepare. It was originally scheduled for 2020, however that date was later changed to 2021 due to the Covid break. My sole training was in India.
Up until 2020, I would always travel to Europe or Asia to train with the best athletes. Of course, I had to change a number of things in India to encourage that kind of foreign environment. The manner I trained for the Olympics gave me a lot of confidence, but, at the same time.
I was aware of my intentions for this month and the following month. A block was every three months, and the goal period was every six to nine months. Of course, I’ve had a lot of practise re-evaluating myself and attempting to comprehend who I am.
I began preparing for Rio four months before the Games, but I felt that it was too soon for my body and mind. I require a session to begin at least five months beforehand. And as people age, the disparity just becomes more and more.
But I had nine months to get ready for Tokyo and nothing else to do. The significant measurements I had changed. You weren’t travelling as much, so your routine was different. Due to the lack of other significant events or disruptions to the preparation, the diet and exercise were both under control.
What were some of the lessons you brought back from Tokyo to Birmingham?
Without a question, it was a difficult time for everyone. It was a challenging time during the pandemic. The attitudes shifted. For instance, when I requested permission to train at a stadium, they responded, “Are you crazy? While people are outside dying, you want to practise. It gave perspective to the situation.
Nobody gave a damn whether you had to practise since the priorities were different. Fighting the pandemic and saving lives were the top priorities. At that time, I needed to watch out for myself. You were unaware of the effects (the virus) could have. Even though we were terrified, we had to continue training. It was a trying circumstance.
However, I personally thought that the Olympic Games for Team India were the best thing that could have happened to us. We arrived in Tokyo after escaping the predicament we were in in April and May. After that, everything went well.
That’s a crucial lesson I discovered. I had to adopt a more optimistic outlook because you need to be in that mental condition to perform effectively. I learned a lot from the preparation for the Tokyo Olympics since a lot of things transpired in the lead-up to these Commonwealth Games.
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