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The Indian women’s hockey team missed out on a bronze medal in Tokyo. However, the immense learning they garnered from the 2021 Olympics will be the first step in preparing to scale greater heights at Paris 2024.
It is often said that the preparation for the Summer Games always commences with the conclusion of the previous edition. The Indian women’s hockey team will want to carry that knowledge, going forward.
Having lost their first three matches to Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain, the Indian women’s hockey team plugged the gaps with drastic measures to put up a spirited fight against Ireland and South Africa.
Although Great Britain did India a favor by beating Ireland in the group stages, the women in red were in no mood for a second favor on Friday. They beat India 4-3 to win the bronze medal.
The Indian women’s hockey team will emerge from the Tokyo Olympics richer – in terms of confidence, preparation and implementing strategies and game plans.
The Indian women’s hockey team had come to the Tokyo Olympics with an initial goal of reaching the quarterfinals and coach Sjoerd Marijne said “anything can happen from there.”
The team was also aware of the expectations that they were shouldering – a baggage that the hockey teams always carry when they play at the Olympics.
The Rani Rampal-led team was facing one of the toughest tests in Tokyo. Only two teams – Japan and South Africa – were ranked below the Indian women’s hockey team and Sjoerd Marijne had then said that expectations must be based on realities. The coach, before leaving for Tokyo, had said:
“What I see, what I hear, and what I read around me is that the expectations in India are very high about the Indian women's team. If you are realistic, only two teams are lower-ranked than us - Japan and South Africa."
"I don't know what these expectations are based on. I think it's probably because we've done well in the past, in the last four years. Even then, we have to be realistic."
"We are focusing on reaching the quarterfinals. From there on, anything can happen. It doesn't mean I think we aren't good enough, but it's just about being realistic, going from match to match. I think it is very important at this point. Also, don't make the expectations higher than the reality.”
After a grueling five-year preparation and a competitive 12 days in Tokyo, it is now safe to say that the Indian women’s hockey team has punched above their weight.
The Tokyo stint has given the team a belief that they do belong on the biggest stage in the sporting world.
The Indian women's hockey team is on course for bigger things
Former Indian women’s team coach Harendra Singh said the Tokyo Olympics 2021 is a beginning of many things to come, more specifically in terms of preparation for the next Summer Games. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Harendra Singh said:
“This is not the end of something spectacular. This is just the beginning of more glorious days to come. We are well into the process of improving and it is a constant process.”
Reflecting on Indian women’s hockey team’s campaign at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, Harendra Singh was elated at how the players were a closely-knit unit. He added:
“Everyone played their part in this. It couldn’t not be possible without everyone chipping in at the right time. The focus of the team is always to keep things simple and clean without getting carried away by too many variations. The senior players have shown the way in this.”
The Indian women’s hockey team looks in good stead. In three years from now, when the team gets to Paris 2024, they won’t only have the "burden" of expectations but also the necessary arsenal to fulfill those expectations.
