Sardar Singh to be India’s flag bearer
20 Sept 2014 3:39 AM IST
‘The flag bearer will be Sardar Singh, captain of the men’s hockey team. Actually all the people were asked and we have been trying to ask the coaches about who is available. They all have matches the next day or the day after and none wanted to stand outside the stadium from 12 noon to 4 pm (before the parade). Sardar does not have a match. He was happy to do so,’ said chef-de-mission Adille Sumariwalla.
The former national sprint champion and Olympian explained why the focus should not be on the flag bearer, which was just symbolic, but on winning honours at the Games.
‘I don’t see why we are focusing so much on the flag bearer. We are here to win medals. Flag bearer is symbolic; focus should be on medals. Any great athlete can do it and we have many of them. It will be a great boost to hockey and I hope we can win the gold, they (men’s team) has been playing well,’ he added.
‘It’s A big honour’
The honour to carry India’s flag in the opening ceremony of 17th Asian Games couldn’t have come at a better time for hockey team skipper Sardar Singh, who feels it will not only spur him but the entire squad to break its 16-year gold jinx in the continental event. ‘It is definitely a big moment for me. It is a big honour to lead the nation in the opening ceremony of a mutltisport event like the Asian Games. Friday will definitely be one of the best moments of my career. I am already getting goose bumps,’ Sardar said.
The former national sprint champion and Olympian explained why the focus should not be on the flag bearer, which was just symbolic, but on winning honours at the Games.
‘I don’t see why we are focusing so much on the flag bearer. We are here to win medals. Flag bearer is symbolic; focus should be on medals. Any great athlete can do it and we have many of them. It will be a great boost to hockey and I hope we can win the gold, they (men’s team) has been playing well,’ he added.
‘It’s A big honour’
The honour to carry India’s flag in the opening ceremony of 17th Asian Games couldn’t have come at a better time for hockey team skipper Sardar Singh, who feels it will not only spur him but the entire squad to break its 16-year gold jinx in the continental event. ‘It is definitely a big moment for me. It is a big honour to lead the nation in the opening ceremony of a mutltisport event like the Asian Games. Friday will definitely be one of the best moments of my career. I am already getting goose bumps,’ Sardar said.
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