Paris Olympics: Sharath Kamal, Sindhu eager to carry Tri-colour at opening ceremony

Paris: Indian table tennis veteran Achanta Sharath Kamal and ace shuttler and two-time medallist PV Sindhu share excitement for the 'one-time opportunity' of being flagbearers for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, scheduled on Friday.

Sharath Kamal, who will feature in his record fifth Olympics, was selected as India's flagbearer in March this year but Sindhu was named as the female flagbearer earlier this month.

"Waiting for July 26 (Friday), when we'll be leading the Indian contingent at the opening ceremony in Paris (Olympics). It's been a moment that I've been dreaming and visualising about, for the last 3-4 months. I'm pretty excited that I'm going to live that moment and especially that I'm going to do that with PV Sindhu. So, it's a fantastic moment, I would say," said Sharath Kamal.

Notably, in 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) updated its protocol, permitting one female and and one male athlete from each NOC to bear the flag jointly during the opening ceremony of the Summer Games.

Sindhu is India's only female athlete who has won multiple Olympic medals. The ace shuttler won the silver medal in the women's singles at the 2016 Rio Olympics and followed that with a bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

"Yes, I'm very happy to be the flag bearer with our fellow Indian, Sharath Kamal. It's a proud moment for both of us and of course, it's a one time opportunity for anyone to be a flag bearer and representing our country, and it's at the Olympics, standing there, right in the front, holding an Indian flag, it's a very proud moment for both of us and of course he's like a super senior to me. I've known him for a very, very long time, so it's always nice to be holding a flag with the fellow Indians," said Sindhu.

Sindhu, on the other hand, will be playing in her third consecutive Olympics and is excited for the competition to begin, where she will be eyeing her third consecutive medal to become the most decorated Indian athlete at the Olympics.

"I am super proud to be here at Olympic village. This will be my third Olympics, and really excited for the competition to begin. At the same time, I will be the flag bearer for the Indian contingent and I am super proud... I will be holding the bigger flag at the opening ceremony and I hope, with the same excitement, I do well in the competition and get a medal back to India," Sindhu added.

Paris 2024 will mark the first time in the history of the Olympic Summer Games that the opening ceremony is held outside a stadium. This outdoor concept also makes it the largest opening ceremony in terms of audience and geographical coverage.

Almost 100 boats carrying an estimated 10,500 athletes will float along the Seine during the parade. The larger of the 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) represented in the parade will have boats to themselves, while the smaller ones will share boats.