NEW DELHI: Dilip Tirkeyformer captain and present Hockey India president, is optimistic about the future prospects of the Indian team Paris Olympics. He believed that the captain Harmanpreet Singh performs in the best, India has a strong chance to increase the medal finish from the previous Olympics.
At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, India secured a historic bronze medal by defeating Germany, ending a 41-year medal drought in hockey at the Olympics.
As the team prepares for the Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26, hopes are high that they can surpass their previous performances and potentially bring home a medal of a different color.
“I have a lot of faith in (PR goalkeeper) Sreejesh and all the young players in the team. Five players will make their Olympic debut, but they also have good experience in international hockey.
“We expect a lot from captain Harmanpreet, he is a world-class drag-flicker. If he gets in there is no need to worry,” Tirkey told PTI on the sidelines of the ‘Glory of Five Rings’ event, which he organised. by Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, where the likes of former women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal and former champion trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu, among others, were present.
“… it’s all in the person who drags who has to be the best. If our drag flashes are in the song, nothing can stop us. “he added.
Paddy Upton, a well-known mental conditioning coach from South Africa, will be helping the Indian hockey team during the upcoming Paris Olympics. Upton’s expertise was instrumental in India’s victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and he will now serve as the support staff for the men’s hockey team.
In preparation for the Olympics, Upton recently held a rigorous three-day camp at the adventurer’s base Mike Horn in Switzerland. After the camp, the team will travel to Paris via the Netherlands.
The importance of mental strength in a major sporting event like the Olympics was emphasized by the former defender, who represented India in three Olympics himself.
“Conceding goals in the last minute has bothered us in the last few years, but finally, we have noticed a lot of improvement in this area. And in the last 1-2 years, we have kept the coach in the mental state with the team. and this has made the difference.
“Sometimes in a match, if a player’s performance is not good, it affects them. So, mental training is very important to remember this,” said Tirkey.
“Before the games at the Olympics we need to be mentally prepared. I am sure that the training program of the mental coaches and all the other support staff will produce results in Paris.”
He also stressed the need to have a solid defensive line.
“Defending short corners is also very important. In the last Olympics, you may have noticed how strong they are Amit Rohidas is on defense, so we have to focus on this area as well.”
The Hockey India chief expressed confidence in the team’s ability to improve their performance in the upcoming Paris Olympics. with Craig Fultonexperienced head coach, leading power, Tirkey believes that India has the potential to secure a different colored medal.
“The team has arrived in Paris. Our first match is against New Zealand on July 27. We had a very good performance at the last Asian Games. Head coach Fulton has a lot of experience. He is the coach of the Belgian team and also the coach of the Olympic Games. and the participating team World Cup.
“The team has gained a lot of confidence in their coach. Every player knows that in the last Olympics we won a medal after a long time and this time we can change the color of the medal,” said Tirkey.
India find themselves in a challenging group in the upcoming tournament, facing strong opponents such as Australia, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland. The competition promises to be fierce, with each team having unique strengths and strategies.
“In the Olympics there are 12 teams, six each in two pools. It’s not something that we can’t beat the top teams like Australia and Belgium. It’s simple… the players have to do their job in a certain role in the team they have to be fit and we are one of them the best team,” Tirkey said.
India will begin their tour on July 27, facing New Zealand. The next match will be against Argentina on July 29, followed by a match against Ireland on July 30. The team will face Belgium on August 1, before completing their campaign against Australia on August 2.
At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, India secured a historic bronze medal by defeating Germany, ending a 41-year medal drought in hockey at the Olympics.
As the team prepares for the Paris Olympics, which begin on July 26, hopes are high that they can surpass their previous performances and potentially bring home a medal of a different color.
“I have a lot of faith in (PR goalkeeper) Sreejesh and all the young players in the team. Five players will make their Olympic debut, but they also have good experience in international hockey.
“We expect a lot from captain Harmanpreet, he is a world-class drag-flicker. If he gets in there is no need to worry,” Tirkey told PTI on the sidelines of the ‘Glory of Five Rings’ event, which he organised. by Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, where the likes of former women’s hockey captain Rani Rampal and former champion trap shooter Manavjit Singh Sandhu, among others, were present.
“… it’s all in the person who drags who has to be the best. If our drag flashes are in the song, nothing can stop us. “he added.
Paddy Upton, a well-known mental conditioning coach from South Africa, will be helping the Indian hockey team during the upcoming Paris Olympics. Upton’s expertise was instrumental in India’s victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and he will now serve as the support staff for the men’s hockey team.
In preparation for the Olympics, Upton recently held a rigorous three-day camp at the adventurer’s base Mike Horn in Switzerland. After the camp, the team will travel to Paris via the Netherlands.
The importance of mental strength in a major sporting event like the Olympics was emphasized by the former defender, who represented India in three Olympics himself.
“Conceding goals in the last minute has bothered us in the last few years, but finally, we have noticed a lot of improvement in this area. And in the last 1-2 years, we have kept the coach in the mental state with the team. and this has made the difference.
“Sometimes in a match, if a player’s performance is not good, it affects them. So, mental training is very important to remember this,” said Tirkey.
“Before the games at the Olympics we need to be mentally prepared. I am sure that the training program of the mental coaches and all the other support staff will produce results in Paris.”
He also stressed the need to have a solid defensive line.
“Defending short corners is also very important. In the last Olympics, you may have noticed how strong they are Amit Rohidas is on defense, so we have to focus on this area as well.”
The Hockey India chief expressed confidence in the team’s ability to improve their performance in the upcoming Paris Olympics. with Craig Fultonexperienced head coach, leading power, Tirkey believes that India has the potential to secure a different colored medal.
“The team has arrived in Paris. Our first match is against New Zealand on July 27. We had a very good performance at the last Asian Games. Head coach Fulton has a lot of experience. He is the coach of the Belgian team and also the coach of the Olympic Games. and the participating team World Cup.
“The team has gained a lot of confidence in their coach. Every player knows that in the last Olympics we won a medal after a long time and this time we can change the color of the medal,” said Tirkey.
India find themselves in a challenging group in the upcoming tournament, facing strong opponents such as Australia, Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland. The competition promises to be fierce, with each team having unique strengths and strategies.
“In the Olympics there are 12 teams, six each in two pools. It’s not something that we can’t beat the top teams like Australia and Belgium. It’s simple… the players have to do their job in a certain role in the team they have to be fit and we are one of them the best team,” Tirkey said.
India will begin their tour on July 27, facing New Zealand. The next match will be against Argentina on July 29, followed by a match against Ireland on July 30. The team will face Belgium on August 1, before completing their campaign against Australia on August 2.