The Indian hockey team is laser-focused on clinching gold at the Paris Olympics 2024, turning their dream into a national mission.
The Indian team will face New Zealand on July 27, Argentina on July 29, Ireland on July 30, Belgium on August 1, and Australia on August 2 in their Pool-B matches.
Bolstered by thorough preparation and acclimatization, the Indian hockey team is approaching its opening match against New Zealand with a sense of calm. Their primary goal? To upgrade their Tokyo bronze medal to gold at the historic Yves-du-Manoir Stadium this Saturday.
With solid preparation and acclimatization under their belt, the Indian hockey team is approaching their opening match against New Zealand with a calm demeanor. Their primary goal? To turn their Tokyo bronze medal into gold at the Paris Olympics, at the historic Yves-du-Manoir Stadium this Saturday.
After a series of matches against top teams in the FIH Pro League and rigorous training camps in Bengaluru and Europe, the Harmanpreet Singh-led squad is in peak form. Supported by mental trainer Paddy Upton and adventurer Mike Horn—who both contributed to the Indian cricket team’s 2011 World Cup triumph under coach Gary Kirsten—the team fine-tuned their game behind closed doors on the eve of this crucial match.
India aims to kick off on a high note and build momentum with a win against New Zealand. “Our focus is to improve match by match. We are fully ready for tomorrow’s match. We have analyzed them well and worked on minor fine-tuning today,” Harmanpreet told Sportstar magazine.
“We arrived on July 20, giving us almost a week to acclimatize. The ground is in great condition, and we had three good matches in Holland. We’re looking forward to playing well,” Harmanpreet said.
Sessions with Upton have helped the players calm their nerves before the big event. “We are relaxed. It’s crucial to be mentally calm and physically fit. We’ve worked on this, and I believe it will definitely help us in this tournament,” Upton added.
“All the players are very calm. Everyone knows their target and what they need to do,” Upton reiterated.
Harmanpreet expressed his excitement about playing at the historic venue, the only one from the 1924 Olympics still in use for the Games a century later, and aimed to make it even more memorable for Team India. “I discovered this fact yesterday. It’s a great opportunity that after 100 years, the Games are happening here again.
We should win it, take the gold medal, and make it memorable.”
The Indian team, set to face Argentina on July 29, Ireland on July 30, Belgium on August 1, and Australia on August 2 in their other Pool-B matches, chose to skip the opening ceremony to stay focused on their first game.
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