Success in Argentina a confidence booster, but ultimate goal remains Olympic podium: Manpreet
Hockey | April 15, 2021 13:58 ISTEight-time champions India are looking to end an over four-decade-long Olympic medal drought in Tokyo this year.
Eight-time champions India are looking to end an over four-decade-long Olympic medal drought in Tokyo this year.
India had won the last of their eight Olympic gold medals in the 1980 Moscow Olympics before the team endured a sharp slide in its fortunes.
India registered a comprehensive 3-0 win over Argentina on Sunday in Buenos Aires in the second match of the FIH Pro League.
Lalit Upadhyay, Rupinder Pal Singh and Dilpreet Singh were on target in the shoot-out, while goalkeeping stalwart Sreejesh came up with some breath-taking saves to fetch India a bonus point.
After being stuck at their base at the Sports Authority of India, Bengaluru centre for the entire last year during the coronavirus outbreak, the Indians will finally get to play high-intensity international matches.
The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) was earlier forced to postpone the ACT for both men and women twice because of the pandemic.
The 22-member Indian team arrived here last week for the six-match tour against the Olympic champions.
The 18-day camp will conclude on March 31 before the team departs for the FIH Hockey Pro League against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Harmanpreet Singh's strike in the very first minute and two goals by Mandeep in the 28th and 59th minutes helped India remain undefeated on the tour.
Clark, who will join the national camp this month, had coached the Indian junior men's team in 2013-2014 when it won the Sultan of Johor Cup and also participated at the 2013 FIH Junior World Cup in New Delhi.
With only 200 days to go for the Olympics, Manpreet and Rani, the women's team skipper, believe the players in respective core groups will have to give their 100 per cent to be able to achieve their goals in Tokyo.
Hockey India has been in talks with different nations to organise a tour for the men's team. Captain Manpreet has expressed that the side is looking forward to much-needed match practice before the Tokyo Olympics.
The camp will take place at the Sports Authority of India campus and the core group will undergo a mandatory quarantine period before re-starting training as per SAI and Hockey India SOPs.
India last won a hockey gold medal in hockey at 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Since then, the men's team has participated in eight Olympic Games without making it to the podium. In Rio, the men's team finished a dismal eighth.
The Australian coach said the sooner India gets to play international matches, the better willbe their preparations for the Olympics.
Having been in the national camp for over four months now amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Lalit feels the core group has improved in fitness levels especially in comparison to when they began the camp in August.
The team's core probable group has been living in a bio-secure environment at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility since August this year after a six-week break.
Last year, both the hockey teams secured their Olympic berth in Bhubaneswar following a successful outing in the Olympic Qualifiers at the Kalinga Stadium.
Having been selected in the senior core probable group again, Tirkey says his focus is now on executing what the chief coach expects of him and also on his drag-flicking.
The team is currently taking part in the national coaching camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility in Bengaluru amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
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