New Delhi: The Indian hockey teams were among the first to fly out of India for the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday night. Having finished their last training session at the SAI Centre in Bengaluru, the team regrouped in Delhi.
Millenium Post was able to get an exclusive interview with women's team captain Rani Rampal. Having become a role model for women in hockey at home and also voted by the FIH (international hockey federation) in 2019 as the best for her immense popularity, Rani oozes confidence.
This will be the Haryana girl's second outing at the Olympics. In a freewheeling chat, Rani threw light on how the team has prepared. "The Olympics is the biggest tournament for any sportsperson and all of us are very excited about representing our country on the biggest stage," said Rani.
As one who believes in her own skills and that of her teammates, Rani has dealt with the highs and lows in a spirited manner. Even when some of the girls tested positive for Covid19 during the second wave, they were provided good care and recovered fast in
Bengaluru.
"Just being at the Olympics Village was very special for me in Rio 2016. However, we were very disappointed with our result in that tournament. Since 2016, we, as a team, have come a long way. We have put up a tough fight against the best teams. We now have the belief we can beat any side in the world," stressed Rani.
Compared to the old days, when the Indian women's team was treated as pushovers, they have made substantial progress. The girls have worked very hard on fitness, which is reflected in their scores on the Yo-Yo scale. More important, with foreign coach Sjoerd Marijne handling the team in a professional manner the last few years, the team is hoping to peak in Tokyo.
The team is well versed with the Bio Bubble and how to stay safe during the pandemic. They know that travelling to Tokyo and spending three days in mandatory quarantine there is all part of the game.
"We have planned for Tokyo since the end of Rio (Olympics) and we want to produce our best result in Tokyo. We have a fantastic mix of youth and experience and some of us have the benefit of having tasted the Olympic experience in 2016," added Rani.
With the Sports Authority of India and Hockey India planning in detail and providing the best facilities to the players, the girls are upbeat. "We have done our best work for the Olympics.
We, as a team, have all the skills. Execution of skills will hold the key in Tokyo," said Rani, fully aware the heat and humidity will test the players.
At the same time, the players are not stressed. "We are confident of winning a medal in Tokyo. It is important to enjoy playing in the Games and the team management has done the best for us,"
concluded Rani.