At 40, the distinguished Khel Ratna award got here fairly late for Sharath Kamal, however the star desk tennis participant on Saturday mentioned the popularity was “better late than never”, and it’ll encourage him to provide one final shot at Olympic glory. Sharath was on Friday really useful as the one athlete for this 12 months’s Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, the nation’s highest sporting honour, for his stupendous efficiency within the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, the place he received 4 medals, together with three gold and one silver.

“Really proud moment. At this age getting this award, inspiring so many millions across different sports is really wonderful. It’s come pretty late in my career but better late than never,” Sharath informed PTI.

“For the amount of sacrifice and the work I have put in, especially post 2015 the second stage of my career — the Sharath Kamal 2.0 post the hamstring injury, the rise has been consistent and growing exponentially. I am really happy and I would like to thank my coaches, my support staff.” “I am looking forward to the Paris Olympics and this will really encourage me. Of course the CWG and Tokyo has given me the right direction to get into the Paris, and hopefully, a medal there will be the best thing that can happen to any sportperson’s life,” he added.

Sharath was amongst 42 Khel Ratna aspirants this 12 months, together with hockey gamers Harmanpreet Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Savita Punia and Vandana Katariya.

The Khel Ratna was awarded to an unprecedented 5 athletes in 2020 and 11 final 12 months.

“The journey has been really long and tedious and I am really enjoying it now. The fact that only one Khel Ratna is given this year without a doubt in the committee, I really felt proud of that decision,” Sharath mentioned.

Sharath, who received two bronze medals within the 2018 Asian Games, mentioned it was very pleasing to listen to Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra recognising his feats.

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“When I met Neeraj Chopra at an awards function recently, he was like ‘bhai apne toh kamal kar diya’ (brother you did wonders). When it comes from athletes like him it’s a great feeling,” he mentioned.

Besides the Khel Ratna, the awards committee chaired by retired Supreme Court choose , Justice AM Khanwilkar, additionally really useful 25 athletes for this 12 months’s Arjuna awards, together with Commonwealth Games singles champion Lakshya Sen, world champion feminine boxer Nikhat Zareen amongst others. PTI SSC SSC AH AH