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IMAGE: Achanta Sharath Kamal plans to hold up his boots solely after the Paris Olympics. {Photograph}: Mark Kolbe/Getty Photographs
The age-defying Achanta Sharath Kamal sizzled on and off the court docket whereas Manika Batra achieved one other first for Indian desk tennis regardless of the executive disaster the game needed to endure over the previous 12 months.
With three gold medals, together with a singles title after 16 years, on the Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham, the 40-year-old Sharath confirmed that age was only a quantity.
He plans to hold up his boots solely after the Paris Olympics however 2022 additionally noticed him stepping into sports activities administration.
He was elected because the vice-chair of the Indian Olympic Affiliation (IOA) athletes’ fee earlier than changing into the primary Indian to be elected the joint chair of the gamers’ physique within the Worldwide Desk Tennis Federation (ITTF).
His position within the IOA could also be restricted however a seat on the chief council of the ITTF provides him authority to impact modifications in the best way the sport is performed.
Sharath lastly will get his due
IMAGE: Sharath took his general medal tally to 13 on the CWG, since making his Video games debut in 2006. {Photograph}: Mark Kolbe/Getty Photographs
Some stated it was most likely 10 years too late however Sharath lastly received his due from the federal government when he turned the primary desk tennis participant to obtain the Main Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, India’s highest sporting honour.
Even the often divided choice panel discovered it exhausting to disagree and he was the unanimous selection for the sporting honour.
The coveted award got here after his sensational effort within the Commonwealth Video games in Birmingham, the place he overcame sleepless nights and a battered physique to pocket three gold medals — singles, group and blended with 24-year-old Sreeja Akula.
Manika overcomes CWG disappointment with Asia Cup bronze
IMAGE: Manika Batra turned the primary Indian to win a medal within the Asia Cup. {Photograph}: PTI Photograph
Having bagged an unprecedented 4 medals within the 2018 CWG, expectations have been expectedly excessive from Manika in Birmingham. She couldn’t deal with the load of expectations and returned house empty handed.
Nonetheless, a efficiency of a lifetime was to observe within the Asia Cup in Bangkok three months later. The Delhi-based paddler raised her sport to stun two top-10 gamers in a span of three days to safe a bronze, changing into the primary Indian to win a medal within the event’s wealthy historical past.
Authorized battles galore
The begin to the yr was reasonably grim because the Delhi Excessive Courtroom suspended the Desk Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) after observing a “sorry” state of affairs within the governing physique.
There was concern among the many gamers over the suspension impacting their preparation for worldwide occasions, together with the Commonwealth Video games scheduled for July-August.
Nonetheless, the court-appointed Committee of Directors working the TTFI ensured the coaching of elite athletes remained largely unaffected.
A newly-elected set of workplace bearers took cost of the federation earlier this month and their first job will likely be to conduct the nationwide occasions.
Whereas taking care of the day-to-day functioning of the federation, the CoA too received locked in a number of authorized hurdles.
As many as 4 gamers — Manush Shah, Swastika Ghosh, Archana Kamath and Diya Chitale — challenged their exclusion from the CWG squad, maintaining the CoA greater than busy.
Solely Chitale emerged because the winner from these battles and was included within the Birmingham-bound girls’s squad.
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