I was very young when I qualified for the Athens Olympics. I was just into my second year on the International circuit.
Table Tennis player Achanta Sharath Kamal speaks of his Athens experience
I was very young when I qualified for the Athens Olympics. I was just into my second year on the International circuit. Nobody had expected me to qualify; hence there were no expectations from me. It made my life a lot simpler as I was not playing under any sort of pressure.
When I qualified, I was jubilant. I was very excited to be a part of something that I had, till then, only heard or read about and dreamt of being a part of. It wasn’t till I set my foot in the Games Village that I realised how big the occasion was.
On the first day, I kept to myself. I was very shy and did not venture out much. I just went to train and spent the rest of the day in my room. On the second day, I went to the Dining Hall, for lunch, with some of my mates. Over there I saw I huge guy with long flowing hair. The face looked familiar but I could not put a name to it. He sat bang opposite to me at the table. And lo! I realised I was sitting across Roger Federer! The realisation just blew me away! He had been my all-time idol and I had goose bumps when I got so close to him!
The Opening Ceremony took place on the third day. Martina Navratilova came to the Indian camp, looking for Leander Paes. And surprise, surprise! She asked me about him! Nervously, I uttered some words. I couldn’t believe my luck!
The next day, I saw a young, well-built guy wearing a tight vest, tattered denim shorts and a baseball camp loitering about near our training center. He had an air of arrogance to him and the trademark American swagger. I had made no mistake. It was Andy Roddick!
I wish I had the guts to go up to these people and exchange few words. This time around I shall definitely make up for it!
I became good friends with Leander Paes and Dhanraj Pillay. Dhanraj would address all of us younger guys as ‘chief’. Dhanraj was like an elder brother. He was extremely encouraging and would call me ‘tambi’, which means younger brother in Tamil.
—As told to Malini Banerjee
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