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Indian table tennis star Sharath Kamal has expressed his hopes of participating in the Tokyo Olympics 2021 along with Indian tennis veteran Leander Paes. He highlighted that the mercurial tennis star's medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games instilled the belief in all Indian sportsmen.
Sharath Kamal spoke at length about his journey as a paddler and Leander Paes' role as an inspirational figure in Indian sport during an exclusive interaction with Indranil Basu on Sportskeeda Live.
On being compared with Leander Paes, Sharath Kamal recalled having grown up watching the tennis ace and being in awe of him.
"I have grown up seeing Leander. In 2004 Olympic Games when I met Leander, I was frozen. I couldn't talk and he is so bubbly, he is so energetic, he is coming forward and talking to me."
Sharath Kamal observed that it was Leander Paes' bronze medal in the men's singles event at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games despite being a rank outsider that had given the Indian sporting fraternity the belief that they could also excel at the biggest stage of all.
"Because in 1996 when he won that medal, I saw it on TV and read it in the newspapers. At that point of time, I didn't understand the value of that medal but growing up as a player for somebody being ranked close to 100 and then winning that bronze medal at the Olympic Games gave all of us a hope that we can also do that."
Sharath Kamal on looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021
Sharath Kamal sounded confident that India have a realistic chance of winning a medal in table tennis at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, considering the two medals the country won at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games with the continental standards being as good as the world level.
"We won two medals at the 2018 Asian Games, one in the men's team and another in the mixed doubles partnering Manika Batra. Two medals at the Asian Games which gives you an assurance that if you are able to win in the Asian Games, you have a high probability to win in the Olympic Games because table tennis is predominantly dominated by the Asian countries."
The four-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist added that while an Olympic medal was a distant dream in 2004 and 2008, it now seems like a realistic possibility with the performances the Indian paddlers have been dishing out.
"In 2004 and 2008, winning an Olympic medal was a very far-fetched goal but of course Leander took that notion off but now I feel I am very very close to the Olympic medal."
On being asked if Leander Paes had shown that age was just a number, the 38-year-old Sharath Kamal hoped expressed his hope of participating in the Tokyo Olympic Games alongside the flag-bearer of Indian tennis for almost three decades.
"It would be great to play the Olympic Games with him. Because his thing is the Last Roar, the hashtag he is using. Of course, fantastic at the age of 47. You don't want to know the age of such champions. You just want them to continue to play. You hope that they are around."
Sharath Kamal would be looking forward to participating in his 4th Olympic Games, having already been a member of the Indian squad at the 2004, 2008 and 2016 editions. Leander Paes, on the other hand, would be participating for a record 8th consecutive time at the quadrennial event if he makes the cut for the Tokyo Olympics 2021.
