Indian table tennis superstar Sharath Kamal on the secret to his longevity and working hard
India's Sharath Kamal Achanta during the Men's Singles Gold Medal Match at The NEC on day eleven of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Image: Tim Goode/PA Images via Getty Images
At 39, when most athletes consider hanging up their boots, table tennis player Sharath Kamal won the national championships. A year later, he won four medals in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, including three golds. And he says he's not done yet. While he stopped short of medalling at the recent Asian Games in China's Hangzhou, Kamal has settled on the bird's eye: The 2024 Paris Olympics.
In this interview with Forbes India, he explains how his longevity has been nurtured by discipline and hard work since his youth and how he keeps himself motivated with short-term goals. Edited excerpts:
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