Sharath Kamal is arguably the greatest Indian table tennis player in history, with multiple medals at the Commonwealth and Asian Games, along with ITTF Pro Tour Titles. The 42-year-old is set to compete in his fifth Olympic Games at Paris 2024 later this month in men’s singles and team events after qualifying on the basis of the ITTF world rankings.
In the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024, Sharath Kamal will be one of the flag-bearers for India alongside the ace shuttler PV Sindhu, an honour bestowed upon some of the best athletes in the country. During his illustrious table tennis career, he has also received the Arjuna Award in 2004, Padma Shri in 2019, and Khel Ratna Award in 2024, for his exceptional achievements on and off the court.
The consistency in his performances in the last two decades has allowed Sharath Kamal to become a household name in India. In the twilight years of his table tennis career, the 42-year-old isn’t quite the player like before, but still, he is able to make the Olympic Games with his grit and determination more than anything else.
With his experience of playing in every big table tennis tournament in the world, Sharath Kamal, who is the 24th seed in men’s singles at the Paris 2024, could string a few surprises along the way. Although the first medal at the Olympic Games might end up being a bridge too far for the world number 40, he is not going to go down without putting up a big fight in France later this month.
As far as the men’s team event at Paris 2024 goes, India will be taking part in it for the first time in history after making it on the basis of the ITTF world rankings. With that, Sharath Kamal will have a couple of chances to win the elusive medal at the Olympics.