Men's Hockey: India kickstart Tokyo Olympics campaign with 3-2 win over New Zealand
Other Sports | July 24, 2021 9:25 ISTIndia men's hockey team made a winning start to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, beating New Zealand 3-2 in their Group A game.
India men's hockey team made a winning start to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, beating New Zealand 3-2 in their Group A game.
Having made his debut for the senior side way back in 2013, Mandeep is the most experienced striker in the Indian team.
In the upcoming Olympics starting from July 23, eight-time hockey champions India will look to break their over four-decade-long podium jinx.
Such was India's hockey dominance in the era that even after a 7-0 win against the USA and a 9-0 win against Japan, the media spoke about how "if Germany wins, it will be a lesson to India that she deserves."
Traditionally, hockey teams in Olympics comprise 16 players each but the IOC has made an exception this time, allowing two extra players in squads for the COVID-hit Summer Games.
Manpreet knows it won't be easy to clinch the country's ninth Olympic hockey gold and first since the 1980 Moscow Games. But he believes a concerted team effort can achieve even the impossible.
Apart from India and host Spain, the other teams in the fray are Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea and South Africa.
The centre-forward, who was a member of the Indian team during the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympics, said on Wednesday that this team has "its own style of play."
A two-time Olympic gold-medallist (1948, London and 1952, Helsinki), the 95-year-old Datt died after battling age-related ailments in Kolkata on Wednesday.
The Two-time Olympic gold medallist died around 12.30 am at his residence in Santoshpur, Kolkata.
Australia and The Netherlands are at the top of the men's and women's rankings respectively.
The national federation also nominated RP Singh and Ch Sanggai Ibemhal for the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Reid is of the view that Indians, in general, are unaware of their own mental fortitude.
On June 17, Hockey India announced the 16-member Hockey Squad for the Tokyo Olympics to be held from July 23 to August 8. Star striker Rani Rampal will be the captain of the side. This will be the Indian Women's Hockey team's third appearance at the Olympic Games and their second consecutive outing, with previous appearances coming in 1980 and 2016. According to her father he said, "It is pride for our nation as well for the family that she got his opportunity." Rani's father added, "It is because of her dedication that she stands at this position."
The Indian women's hockey team will be captained by star striker Rani Rampal.
He breathed his last in Madanapalle, Andhra Pradesh after a long battle with cancer.
The Indian hockey team boasts eight gold medals at the Olympics -- the most by any team in the history of the Games.
If selected, it will be Khokar's maiden outing at the Olympics, a dream which she is desperate to realise.
The 67-year-old died on Sunday due to complications related to the disease.
Singh was admitted at the Vivekananda Hospital on April 24 after contracting the deadly virus.
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