[ad_1]
Having encountered each success and failure from shut quarters in a profession spanning 14 years, nationwide staff goalkeeper PR Sreejesh believes a “much-improved” India has the potential to interrupt its Olympic medal jinx in Tokyo subsequent yr. The Indian males’s hockey staff has a wealthy Olympic historical past, profitable an unprecedented eight gold moreover a silver and two bronze medals. India’s final success on the quadrennial sporting extravaganza, although, got here 40 years in the past within the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the place they gained the final of their eight gold medals.
However, Sreejesh feels that Indian hockey has progressed by leaps and bounds in latest instances.
“I really feel like there may be not a lot of a distinction now, we now have proven that in our FIH Pro League matches earlier this yr, that we will beat anybody, and never simply beat, but in addition dominate them with our model of play.
“With one yr left for our preparations, I believe it (Tokyo Olympics) goes to be the most important match for me as properly, and one thing tells me that it’s going to be an enormous yr for Indian hockey,” he said.
“We can actually convey that elusive Olympic medal again to our nation if we carry out to our potential in Tokyo subsequent yr,” Sreejesh was quoted as saying in a Hockey India release.
The 32-year-old experienced goalkeeper, who had represented India in two Olympics (2012 and 2016), is standing at the twilight of his career and, by his own admission, he has high “aspirations” from the postponed Tokyo Games.
“The Tokyo Olympics is de facto one thing that I look ahead to with big aspirations. We have managed to herald so many enhancements throughout varied features of our recreation, with our health being even higher than most groups on the earth,” the former captain said.
“I believe we now have actually improved on our technical facet of issues with a very good construction, and introduced extra aptitude and dynamism to our attacking. I see so many youthful gamers additionally coming in and performing terribly in opposition to the highest groups, which was one thing you’ll not often see earlier than.”
Sreejesh, who captained India at the 2016 Rio Olympics, said that just like any other athlete he too dreamt of becoming an Olympic medallist when he started out.
“I additionally had a really particular dream all through my profession, and that has been to win an Olympic medal for my nation. The first time I stepped out as an Olympian in 2012 on the London Olympics, it was an expertise I can always remember,” he said.
“The complete pleasure across the staff, and within the Olympic village is one thing you don”t expertise, even throughout a World Cup. I used to be 24 at the moment, and we have been in a really robust pool with eventual gold medallist Germany and silver medallist The Netherlands.
“I remember throughout the pool stages, we ended up conceding first against Netherlands, Germany, and South Korea, but were also able to equalise shortly in those matches. We had a good team, but I think we struggled to finish off those matches and it cost us. That tournament was a chance for me to learn so much.”
Sreejesh stated the 2012 London Games, his first Olympics, was a nightmare for Indian hockey as they completed final within the 12-team competitors.
“So when we were returning back home as the last placed team, it really bothered me and I decided that I’ll do everything to help my team get better in all departments so that when we play in the Rio Olympics in 2016, we are competing for the podium,” he stated.
Promoted
“Post 2012, I think our team really started working towards it as a collective unit. We started following a different approach towards big matches against strong teams, and I think our good performances in the 2014 Asian Games, 2014 Commonwealth Games and 2015 FIH World League Final, really helped build our confidence.”
He additionally stated that India had excessive hopes of a podium end in 2016 Rio Games however a foul outing within the quarterfinals in opposition to Belgium dashed their hopes.
Topics talked about on this article
[ad_2]
Source link