CWG Gold Medalist Achanta Sharath Kamal

At the start of the pandemic two years ago, Achanta Sharath Kamal found himself at that stage of his life where “even water was turning into fat”.

Today, at 40, he is defying all ageist stereotypes. The self-confessed ‘dinosaur’ of Indian table tennis and indeed

Indian sport returned from the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with three gold medals

I’m happy that I can play like this at this stage of my life and still win gold.

It’s very simple in a sense because For me, every two years the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games cycle there’s a new challenge.

Going to Europe and playing professionally taught me a lot about the basics of the game and that knowledge holds you in good stead.