Walmiki foresees a medal to team India if Olympics takes place

Indian Hockey Admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 10:40:28 +0000

The year was 2011 when the Indian hockey team defeated Pakistan in the final and won the Asian Champions Trophy. In his words, Yuvraj Walmiki, a striker, the feeling was ecstatic. Watching the Indian flag hoisted high as we triumph over Pakistan and that too was because of me, the feeling is still short of words to express, he added.

Until now he has played 52 matches and claimed 14 goals for team India. Walmiki, who idolises former India captain Dhanraj Pillay, played in the German Hockey league for eight years, anticipates a medal to team India if Tokyo Olympics are held as scheduled.

He was also a prime member of the World Cup in 2014, which took place in the Netherlands.

It was in the latest episode of ‘Sportstiger Talks’, where he not only shared about the gut feeling of team India winning a medal in the upcoming Olympics but hardships he had faced so far to reach the place he is today, his desire to participate in the entertainment industry and much more.

https://twitter.com/YWalmiki/status/1400074038517501953

“Team India is preparing really well under the leadership of Shreejesh and Manpreet Singh,” observed Walmiki.

Proceeding with the talk he added, “I still have this gut feeling… In case, Tokyo Olympics takes place, the Indian hockey team will bag a medal this time. I have this strong belief in my heart.”

It is to be recalled that the Indian Hockey team has bagged a maximum of eight golds in the Olympics, the highest so far by any country. The last boast was in Moscow Olympics, 1980, defeating Spain by 4-3 in the final.

“I don’t have any competitors, I keep competing with myself to become a better human and work hard every day. In the end, it worked out well for me and to wear the tricolour badge on our chest is probably the biggest motivation for every sportsman,” he shared while recalling those struggling days when he stayed in a 10*10 room in Mumbai with no electricity or availability of any other resources, it was his passion which kept him going on and on.

The post Walmiki foresees a medal to team India if Olympics takes place first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Asian Champions Trophy: Indian Hockey Team has an eye on wins against China, Malaysia to top league stage

Indian Hockey Admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2016 09:34:56 +0000

On a high after their morale-boosting win over arch-rivals Pakistan, India now eye wins against China and hosts Malaysia on successive days to finish on top of the round-robin league stage of the fourth Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, here.
India will play lowly China on Tuesday before squaring up against the home team on Wednesday.
The runaway 10-2 victory against Japan and the 3-2 win in yesterday’s intense sub-continental contest against arch-rivals Pakistan has kept top-ranked India on course for the leading spot in the round-robin league, which could ensure them a favourable semifinal fixture.
But the draw against South Korea means India are two points behind Malaysia, who have gathered the maximum nine points from three outings.
Defending champions Pakistan are still on three points after suffering two losses, but will now go into two easy outings against Japan and China.
The victory over Pakistan has reinvigorated the Indian team that was stunned by the spirited show from South Korea the previous day, but team coach Roelant Oltmans says the boys need to improve on Sunday’s fine show.
“We were much stronger than Pakistan yesterday, but we need to raise our game further. We can improve on this performance,” says Oltmans.
Missing some key players who are recuperating from injuries, coach Oltmans says the return to competitive hockey after the post-Olympic break has provided opportunity to several youngsters to showcase their skills.
But he was not very happy with the errors committed in the defence that allowed space for Pakistani strikers to have cracks at the Indian goal.
“Our defence made a few mistakes in the second half yesterday. Pakistan were able to spot and capitalise on them to score two goals,” said Oltmans, emphasising the need for India to cut out errors in their own zone.
The two Pakistan goals came in the space of nine minutes when the game resumed after half-time, enabling them to neutralise India’s early lead and then and surging 2-1 ahead.
But India possessed enough firepower to score two more goals and regain the initiative, which seemed to have been the feature of this encounter.
The coach wants his strikers to make their presence in the rival territory count and earn penalty corners.
“We need to have more penalty corners,” he said. “Make no mistake, China can give a tough contest,” said Oltmans of India’s next rivals in the tournament on Tuesday, before taking upon hosts Malaysia on Wednesday.
Coaches have learnt not to take China’s hockey team lightly since they pulled off a shock win over India in the 2006 Asian Games and went on to clinch the silver medal.
That 2006 appearance in the Asian Games final remains the best performance for the Chinese men’s team.
Malaysia’s three victories on the trot have put them at the top of the league standings with nine points.
Bronze medalists in all previous three editions of the Asian Champions Trophy, Malaysia will be eager to add more points to their tally to take the top place in the preliminary league.

The post Asian Champions Trophy: Indian Hockey Team has an eye on wins against China, Malaysia to top league stage first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

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Walmiki foresees a medal to team India if Olympics takes place

Asian Champions Trophy: Indian Hockey Team has an eye on wins against China, Malaysia to top league stage