India can reclaim hockey Olympic medal in Tokyo: Former captain Bharat Chetri

His dream of successful an Olympic medal unfulfilled, former India hockey goalkeeper Bharat Chetri believes Manpreet Singh and his males can break the four-decade-old jinx within the Tokyo Summer Games to be held subsequent 12 months.

Indian hockey has a wealthy historical past within the Olympics, having received an unprecedented eight gold medals, apart from one silver and two bronze medals. But India’s final success on the quadrennial occasion got here 40 years in the past within the 1980 Moscow Olympics, the place they received the final of their eight gold medals. Chetri, who was a part of the Indian staff that completed final in 2012 London Olympics, mentioned it’s his perception that the previous masters of the sport can obtain one thing massive in Tokyo.

“The younger Bharat would have said that my dream was to win medals at the Olympics, but the older Bharat, as a fan of Indian hockey, just wants to see the team win medals for our country at the Tokyo Olympic Games,” Chetri was quoted as saying by Hockey India in a launch.

“It is not just a dream, it is a belief, which I have seen in our current players also during the times that I have spent with them as the goalkeeping or assistant coach. I think the talent that we have in our ranks, along with the top fitness levels, we really have a good chance to perform at our best under the guidance of both the respective chief coaches.”

Chetri, the previous captain mentioned India has made vital enchancment in all departments of the sport because the final place end in London and it’s clearly evident from the world rankings the place the eight-time Olympic champions are at present positioned fourth.

“But over the past eight years since the London Olympics, I think there has been considerable improvement in our game, and the credit for that also needs to go to all the players and coaches who have been involve,” he mentioned.

“And also Hockey India for doing a great job in providing the best facilities and infrastructure to its athletes to train and stay during the national camps. I think as a young player, when you see the kind of importance that a national team gets from its fans and the federation as well, it is very motivating.”