Could have qualified for one more Olympics, says Sharath Kamal
CHENNAI: A Sharath Kamal is sure that he has enough untapped resources within himself to prolong his career for a few more years. "Perhaps, I may qualify for LA 2028 also," he says with a smile. "Go for the record of a six-time Olympian." The veteran table tennis player, in the December 30th night of his playing career, one day out from his final tournament on the pro tour (the WTT Star Contender in Chennai), takes this daily on a whirlwind tour of his journey which began when he was three years old. Now, 40 years later, he has made peace with his decision. Excerpts from an interview...
On did you think you will be playing the sport for a long time
Not even when I was 30 did I think I would keep playing till I was 43. When I was four, the assistant coaches would pick me up because I was smaller than the table. That was when I really started playing, one of the earliest memories I have. It was quite a routine back then. Only when I was seven or eight did I really grow a liking for playing the sport. I don't know if I enjoyed matches, though, because I had a bad temper. I would cry whenever I lost. One particular tournament, I went under the table and cried and I disturbed the schedule of matches. My father literally grabbed me from under the table (smiles). But the main decision — going professional — came when I was 14-15, around the time I was in class IX.
On you training three-year-olds in your Academy now and a nice circle being completed
Of course, yes. Some of these kids are just... their forehead and eyes are barely above the table. The kids are out there to have fun and sport gives them that space and opportunity to understand your ability to play in a fun environment. You are developing your skills in a fun way, you are developing your motor skills and sport helps you with these aspects as you grow. As I said, not everybody becomes champions but sport teaches you to be a champion in life and I'm really grateful that my parents put me in sport.
On why are you retiring now and not, say, in 2020 or 2022
I like the question about retirement — 'why not or why now'? 'Why now' becomes a very positive question and 'why not' is very negative. 'Why is he still playing' or 'why is he still holding on' and stuff like that. I have seen a lot of senior players across a lot of sports. People ask these questions. I can clearly understand that you would want to excel till the day you finish. But sometimes you don't. As India's No 1 on the world ranking list and playing fantastically well, I could probably continue for another four years also, so looking at LA 28... probably I could qualify for one more Olympics and make this big record of six Olympics. But I feel I have come to a stage where I have contributed fair enough as a player. I wanted to quit around 2016-2018, that time, after my injuries and stuff. I was also 34 at that time. Most of them wrote me off. I could have stopped but I understood I needed to continue because I needed to show the way as a player, as a leader making them (Indian youngsters) believe that this is the path we need to take. If I had quit back then, most of the youngsters would have been in the dark. As a mentor or a coach, I could have helped but it's not the same when I'm on court showing what has to be done in the right sense. I think the best time of my career came between 2018 and 2024. I saw new heights. 2018 was phenomenal with CWG and AG. 2020, just prior to Covid, I won a pro event in Oman. In 2021, I played one of my best matches against the Olympic champion Ma Long in Tokyo. 2022 was a fairytale year, one I wished never ended after I won medals at Birmingham (CWG) and the Khel Ratna. In 2024, we qualified as a team for the first time for the Olympics. As a player, I have contributed in terms of sense of direction.
On the most important thing you did post Paris
Giving time to my family, my wife and kids. The other part I did was play a lot of other sports. I did this not just to learn about biomechanics but also to understand the mental aspect. What does a squash player think, what does a tennis player think, what does a football player think... It has given me a different perspective. The most important fact I learnt... if you look at top athletes, by and large, all of them play multi-sport. They don't specialise early... that's something we need to have. In the last 5-6 months, it's been a good learning experience.
On if this is something you would bring in across sports in India now that you are inside the system as an administrator
Very much. What I feel is now I might not know much about wrestling, boxing, power sports. But I can always take characteristics into that sport and take something from them. I have spoken with (P) Gopichand about badminton, want to speak about tennis to Vijay Amritraj, speak to Sreejesh and V (Baskaran) about hockey and so on. What does grassroots mean for them? The ceiling in those sports and how can we break that ceiling?
On your biggest legacy
If Sharath Kamal can come into the system from No. 400 in the world to the top-3o, we as youngsters... give the belief and trust in youngsters themselves. That's what I'm leaving behind. I have set benchmarks for qualifying. But records and benchmarks are meant to be broken. Qualifying for the Olympics should be the bare minimum. Now, focus should be on advancing to the quarters and semis at the Olympics.
On Sharath, the IOA president when the 2036 Olympics is in India
(Smiles). Yes, Sharath will be there as an administrator. Not just in the sport of table tennis but as somebody helping all sports.