Having encountered each success and failure from shut quarters in a profession spanning 14 years, nationwide crew 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 crew has a wealthy Olympic historical past, profitable an unprecedented eight gold in addition to 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.
Nevertheless, Sreejesh feels that Indian hockey has progressed by leaps and bounds in current 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 additionally dominate them with our type of play.
“With one yr left for our preparations, I believe it (Tokyo Olympics) goes to be the largest match for me as nicely, and one thing tells me that it’s going to be an enormous yr for Indian hockey,” he stated.
“We will actually deliver 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 launch.
The 32-year-old skilled goalkeeper, who had represented India in two Olympics (2012 and 2016), is standing on the twilight of his profession and, by his personal admission, he has excessive “aspirations” from the postponed Tokyo Video games.
“The Tokyo Olympics is basically one thing that I stay up for with big aspirations. We’ve managed to herald so many enhancements throughout varied points of our sport, with our health being even higher than most groups on this planet,” the previous captain stated.
“I believe we now have actually improved on our technical aspect of issues with a great 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’d not often see earlier than.”
Sreejesh, who captained India on the 2016 Rio Olympics, stated that identical to every other athlete he too dreamt of changing into an Olympic medallist when he began 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 primary time I stepped out as an Olympian in 2012 on the London Olympics, it was an expertise I can always remember,” he stated.
“The entire pleasure across the crew, 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 powerful pool with eventual gold medallist Germany and silver medallist The Netherlands.
“I keep in mind all through the pool phases, we ended up conceding first in opposition to Netherlands, Germany, and South Korea, however have been additionally in a position to equalise shortly in these matches. We had a great crew, however I believe we struggled to complete off these matches and it price us. That match was an opportunity for me to study a lot.”
Sreejesh stated the 2012 London Video games, his first Olympics, was a nightmare for Indian hockey as they completed final within the 12-team competitors.
“So once we have been returning again dwelling because the final positioned crew, it actually bothered me and I made a decision that I am going to do every little thing to assist my crew get higher in all departments in order that once we play within the Rio Olympics in 2016, we’re competing for the rostrum,” he stated.
Promoted
“Put up 2012, I believe our crew actually began working in direction of it as a collective unit. We began following a special method in direction of huge matches in opposition to sturdy groups, and I believe our good performances within the 2014 Asian Video games, 2014 Commonwealth Video games and 2015 FIH World League Last, actually helped construct our confidence.”
He additionally stated that India had excessive hopes of a podium end in 2016 Rio Video games however a nasty outing within the quarterfinals in opposition to Belgium dashed their hopes.
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