With a career span of around 14 year Indian national hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh is confident of winning an olympic medal at Tokyo.The Indian men’s hockey team has a great Olympic history, winning eight gold besides a silver and two bronze medals.India’s last success at Olympics came 40 years ago in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, where they won the last of their eight gold medals.
“I feel like there is not much of a difference now, we have shown that in our FIH Pro League matches earlier this year, that we can beat anyone, and not just beat, but also dominate them with our style of play.”
“With one year left for our preparations, I think it (Tokyo Olympics) is going to be the biggest tournament for me as well, and something tells me that it is going to be a huge year for Indian hockey,” he said.
“We can really bring that elusive Olympic medal back to our country if we perform to our potential in Tokyo next year,” Sreejesh was quoted as saying in a Hockey India release.
India is in with a good chance of winning a medal at Tokyo. Indian team has now come a long way since post Astro turf years. Our rank has been in Top 5 for last half a dozen years or so. That puts us in a realistic chance of a medal.
But, people in general have now lost interest in Hockey. And more and more sports and league are now vying for public attention. Hockey is loosing the battle and apathetic federation is not helping at all.
The Indian hockey team has been clubbed alongside Australia, Argentina, Spain, New Zealand and hosts Japan in a tough Pool A in the Olympic schedule. The team won back-to-back Asian Champions Trophy in 2016 and 2018. Under coach Graham Reid India has shown progress with offensive gameplay and with the addition of young players in the squad they should at least make it to the semi-finals at Tokyo and give something for the Hockey fans that will revive the sport in India.
In the women’s competition, India is placed in Pool A along side Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland and South Africa, while Pool B is made up of Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, China and Japan.
After its Games opener against Netherlands on July 24, the Indian women’s team will play Germany (July 26), Great Britain (July 28), Argentina (July 29) and Japan (July 30).
