Table tennis exponent Sharath Kamal is back to the grind of training after the high of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) and will compete at the National Games in Gujarat later this month.
His stellar showing in Birmingham where the 40-year-old returned with three gold and one silver, including individual and team titles, was one of the highlights of India’s performance. It has given the seasoned champion reasons to push himself for more glory at the Asian Games next year and eye a medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics — the big prize that keeps him going.
Sharath says he understands expectations will be high from him after the CWG and he is ready to give his all. For the moment, he is focused on the National Games that are happening after a gap of seven years.
“First, I was contemplating not playing but it is also a bit of a responsibility for me. I am part of the national camp and I realise the importance of the National Games.
“I play TT National Championships every year and that’s why I have the record (10 national titles). It is an honour and pride to be the national champion and it doesn’t matter which part of the world we are in, we come and play. It should be the same with the National Games,” he said.
The National Games will be held in six cities in Gujarat from Sept 27-Oct 10. It was not part of the calendar this year and Sharath hoped that from the next edition, it is scheduled before so that athletes can plan their calendars accordingly.
“This time it was decided very late into the calendar. Being an important tournament, it has to be planned properly so that top athletes can plan and play in these events.”
Sharath says he will gear up for the Asian Games next year. In the 2018 Asiad, he was part of the men’s team that won bronze besides bagging the mixed doubles bronze.
“After CWG and Olympics, I have understood that I can still play at a good level. Now I have the confidence and the knowledge of how to prepare myself for big matches. Hopefully, we can win back the Asian Games medals and target a medal in the team event at the Paris Olympics.”
“The men’s team has really shaped up well and I can see the confidence in them — Sathiyan, Harmeet (Desai), and youngsters like Manav (Thakkar) and Manush (Shah). There’s a lot of team bonding and hopefully, we can deliver.
Asked about how much he is enjoying his late career burst, Sharath said, “At this stage, I am still continuing to peak. I am really happy and content and hope I can continue to go ahead. What more can I ask for.”