Table tennis became an Olympic sport in Seoul in 1988, but its significance wasn’t fully realized by many players, including myself. The federation initially asked me to pay for my airfare to Islamabad for the 1988 Olympic qualification event, which I declined. However, after the issue was resolved, I qualified and went on to compete.
By the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the sport’s Olympic status had brought increased attention from the government and media. My training regime was widely covered, a level of attention unheard of for previous events. The qualification process was also more demanding, with six players per group compared to nine previously. The highest-placed player from each country was guaranteed a spot, with the option of choosing a doubles partner. I had a strong performance, defeating a dominant player, Chiang Peng-Lung from Chinese Taipei, ensuring a direct qualification. My teammate, Chetan Baboor, also secured a spot. I chose my longtime partner, Sujay Ghorpade, as my doubles partner, and the three of us travelled to Barcelona.
The format had changed significantly since Seoul. The group stage was reduced to four players per group, with only the top player advancing to the knockouts. I was in a tough group with Lu Lin, a rising Chinese star and multiple-time national champion, Kim Taek-Su, a Korean legend, and a Latin American player. My first match was against Lu Lin, whom I had previously faced in the qualification event knockouts. Despite playing at my best, I was outmatched.
However, in Barcelona, the tables had turned. Armed with a strategy devised with coach Manjit Dua and the Chinese coach Lid Yang, I aimed to catch Lu Lin off guard. The match took place early in the morning, and just as it did in Hong Kong, it ended in straight games. I built a decisive 15-5 lead and though he fought back in the second game, I ultimately won 20-15, delivering a simple, beginner’s service that he hit too hard, sending the ball long.
The victory resulted in an unexpected silence in the hall. A Chinese player had lost a match in the Olympics, and I was the one who had defeated him. I went on to beat the Latin American player and, despite pushing Kim Taek-Su to a deciding game, ultimately lost to the Korean legend. If Lu Lin had defeated Kim Taek-Su, it would have resulted in a three-way tie, but Kim went on to win the bronze medal.
While I didn’t advance to the knockouts, I had one of the highlights of my career at the Olympics. I had knocked out a future gold medalist, Lu Lin, who went on to win the men’s doubles gold in Barcelona. However, I couldn’t stay to watch the rest of the competition. My wife, Monalisa, was due to deliver our second child, and an important medal was waiting for me back home.
