Former India hockey captain Manpreet Singh, a key figure in India’s consecutive Olympic medal wins in Tokyo and Paris, shared his thoughts on Saturday about the team’s performance. He expressed his ambition to participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, contingent upon maintaining his fitness. While acknowledging the disappointment of missing out on a gold medal in Paris, Manpreet recognized the significance of securing a second consecutive bronze medal. India, a powerhouse in Olympic hockey with eight gold medals to their name, clinched the bronze in Paris by defeating Spain 2-1 in the third-place playoff match.
Upon the team’s return to India, the attacking midfielder told PTI Videos, “Feeling really good. The last time we won the bronze and we won bronze this time as well. The mindset of the team was to play in the final but that slipped out of our grasp, but we won the bronze and feel really good receiving all this love.” Manpreet commended the team’s unwavering spirit and mental fortitude during the quarterfinal match against Great Britain. Despite facing a 10-man disadvantage for an extended period of 43 minutes due to Amit Rohidas’ controversial red card, the team displayed remarkable determination in their defensive efforts. The tightly contested match culminated in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout, which India ultimately emerged victorious from. However, their pursuit of gold ended in the semifinals with a defeat against Germany.
Manpreet reflected on the team’s resilience, stating, “We train for these kind of moments. If someone gets a green card or a yellow card, how to defend, but we did not think that we would get the red card. It was not the fault of Amit Rohidas. But unfortunately he got the red card. “The defensive mindset of the team was good, and the way everyone defended was brilliant. We did not allow them to create easy opportunities. They created penalty corners and we defended those as well.”
Manpreet, who captained the Indian team to a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, expressed his admiration for PR Sreejesh, the veteran goalkeeper who concluded his illustrious 18-year career at the Paris Olympics. However, Manpreet confirmed that he has no immediate plans to follow suit and still has a passion for hockey. “That (LA Olympics) is far away from us now. I will concentrate on my fitness. If everything goes well, I will continue till 2028; if not let us see,” he said.
Reflecting on Sreejesh’s impact, Manpreet shared, “What can I say about him! I have spent 13 years with him. He was my senior and he guided me; from 2012 to 2023 he guided me. Even when I was captain, he supported me as to what we have to do and what not to do, what is good and what is not,” he said. “He would always motivate me. As a person he is great and as a player he is a legend. He has done well in life and in his career. I will miss him because he is like a big brother to me.”
