‘No sweets till LA’: Savita’s podium pledge

new delhi: No sweets, no chocolates, or fast food until the Los Angeles Olympics -- this is the self-imposed diet pledge taken by the Indian women’s hockey team as they sharpen their focus on securing podium finishes at the FIH World Cup and the Asian Games, says the legendary goalkeeper Savita Punia.

The Indian team, which scripted history with a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics, continues to follow their strict fitness regime introduced by the strength and conditioning coach Wayne Lombard, who is back with the team as scientific advisor and head of athletic performance during the Olympic cycle. “The first thing in this diet plan was (to) cut out sugar. There were no sweets, chocolates or fast food in the kitchen and that hasn’t changed. Recently, after winning the Nations Cup, a cake was ordered for the team, but we all laughed,” she said.