CWG 2022: Paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal belies age to win singles gold after 16 years

PTI

Birmingham, August 8

Achanta Sharath Kamal proved age is just a number as the 40-year-old capped his best-ever performance at the Commonwealth Games by winning the men’s singles gold here today.

After losing the first game — which he should have closed out — Kamal beat a much younger, yet experienced, Liam Pitchford of England 11-13 11-7 11-2 11-6 11-8 at the National Exhibition Centre arena. Kamal, who had first won the singles gold back in 2006, had already claimed two gold here -- one in the team event and the other in mixed doubles alongside Sreeja Akula. With this gold, he increased his tally to a staggering 13 medals across five CWG appearances.

In the final, he was at his finest, firing winners from both sides. Long rallies away from the table were the order of the day and Kamal won most of them. He was also brilliant in cutting the points short with perfectly placed backhand winners.

In the final game, he led 6-1 before Pitchford reduced the deficit to 5-6 by winning the best rally of the match. Sharath absorbed the pressure to make it 10-6 after the time-out. He thought he had converted his second match point, but the umpires awarded the point to his opponent as the ball was close to Kamal’s body at the time of his retrieve. He converted the next game point to complete a memorable run in Birmingham.

“I have no energy left. I am drained,” Kamal said. “I feel like the orange is completely squeezed, the juice is completely out, but it’s been a fantastic two weeks,” he added.

“What I have been able to do at 40 is unbelievable in a very positive way. I was asking myself after the mixed doubles gold yesterday. How am I able to still play like this,” he added.

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