New Delhi, March 24
Ace table tennis player Sharath Kamal on Sunday said he didn't expect that he would be selected as the national side's flagbearer for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
The World No. 88 was announced Indian team's flagbearer for the mega event to be held from July 26 to August 11, by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha on Thursday.
Sharath asserted that he has always looked up to be India's flagbearer at the Olympics, Commonwealth, and Asian games.
"From all the Olympic Games to Commonwealth Games and Asian Games always looked up to the person who is the flag bearer and I really didn't expect myself to be the flag bearer this time but when I got the information that I will be the one. I think more than me how proud I was feeling people from Table Tennis fraternity, my family people who are my well-wishers they were very proud of. The moment the news was out and I am really looking forward. I am also a little bit excited. Can't wait to hold the flag on my hands for opening ceremony of Paris Olympics," Sharath told ANI.
The World No. 88 further stated that in the competition the team has to win two rounds in order to book a medal for the country.
"When you look at my closet I have Commonwealth Games medals, Asian Games medals so Olympic Games medal is the one missing. I really would like to finish off my Olympic campaign with a medal. Of course it is going to be very tough but in team championships in the team event there are only 16 teams to qualify for Olympics Games. So we will start off with the last 16. We will have to have two rounds win for a medal so we hope we will have the best preparation we have the right amount of time to do that. We have another four months to prepare and give our best shot there," the TT player added.
In the end, the Asian Championship bronze medalist spoke about the announcement of the squad for the Olympics. He said the federation will announce squad for both men and women on May 15.
"The federation will decide on the team on 15th May who will play the singles. The mixed doubles qualification is yet to happen. So, once this is done the whole team in singles and doubles will be complete and we will know their positions in the team and we will also have to practice a lot of doubles. You have to start the event with doubles rubber but to add to that in the doubles categories we Indians are doing very well. The girls just won, men's side also we are doing very well. So, we have a good combination for doubles and the singles are also going on well," the Commonwealth medalist concluded.
Sharath has won the national table tennis championship a record 10 times. He has won 13 medals at the CWG, including seven golds. He has also won two medals at the Asian Games. The legendary TT player is also a three-time bronze medalist at the World Championships.
The 41-year-old was last seen in the Singapore Smash where he was crashed out of the quarterfinals. He lost 1-4 to World No. 6 Felix Lebrun with a score line of 9-11, 2-11, 7-11, 11-9, 8-11.