(Hockey news) The Indian men’s field hockey team, with an illustrious history of eight Olympic gold medals, is resolute in their quest for gold at Paris 2024. In an exclusive feature on JioCinema’s ‘The Dreamers,’ team members share their insights on strategy, mindset, and the unity propelling them towards their ultimate goal of winning an Olympic gold medal.
Midfield mainstay, Manpreet Singh, who led the team to their bronze medal victory at Tokyo 2020, reminisced about the pride of standing on the podium. “Seeing our flag on the right, I felt we could strive harder to place it at the center next time, with our anthem playing. This marks the beginning of our renewed journey,” he shared.
India’s stalwart goalkeeper, PR Sreejesh, highlighted the relentless drive and collective spirit of the team. “Someone somewhere is training to beat you. That thought pushes me out of my comfort zone. Every time I train, I am driven by the desire not to disappoint the 1.4 billion people of our country. There was a time when Indian hockey relied on individual brilliance, but now we play as a cohesive unit, and that transformation has been key to our success on the international stage.”
Chief Coach Craig Fulton broke down the team’s mentality, philosophy, and strategy, which helps them go toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the world. “There isn’t a team that this Indian team hasn’t beaten. The question you could also be asking is – what do the other teams have to do to beat India? The whole philosophy in my mind is to defend, to counter, and to win – having a team that can defend against the best teams in the world but then counterattacks from anywhere. And that’s in the DNA of this Indian team.”
Captain Harmanpreet Singh echoed the team’s dedication to changing the colour of their medal. “We are giving our all to elevate our history and legacy. Winning the gold will be a tribute to India and our seniors.”
Following their bronze medal success at Tokyo 2020, the Indian team secured a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, underscoring their consistent performance on the global stage. As they prepare to embark on their Paris 2024 campaign, starting against New Zealand on July 27, the team remains focused on their golden ambition.
Catch more inspiring stories of India’s top Olympic prospects, including two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain, champion boxer Nikhat Zareen, two-time under-20 world champion Antim Panghal, and others, exclusively on ‘The Dreamers.’
Experience the Paris 2024 Olympics like never before with thousands of hours of live and on-demand action on JioCinema and the Sports18 Network starting July 26, 2024. Please credit JioCinema for the video using #OlympicsonJioCinema.
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