‘Beating AUS to CWG gold was our goal’: Harmanpreet Singh opens up on Indian hockey’s triumphs in 2024 and extra

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How would you sum up this yr?

It has been superb. Now we have achieved quite a bit this yr as a crew, achieved most of our targets. Our goal was gold on the Olympics in fact, however we carried out rather well. We bought a variety of love and help from the folks which was fantastic. So fairly pleased with it.

It feels fairly unimaginable to even ask this query however I’ll put it to you anyhow: among the many two Olympic medals that you’ve gained are you able to say which one was the tougher one to win?

Bhai (laughs), you’ll be able to’t ask that. That is like asking which roti was higher, the one you had yesterday or at this time. Ye hamari rozi roti hai (that is our bread and butter). Each of them are equally priceless and essential. It was very troublesome to win each. So no there isn’t any reply to that query aside from the truth that they each are priceless.

It has been such a busy yr for all of you and now you’re on a break earlier than the Hockey India League. How a lot have been you wanting ahead to this downtime, how good has it been for you?

Definitely, the whole yr was packed so lastly getting a while off. Spending it with my household. We even have our duties with some coaching routines which I’m sticking to. However sure, the main focus is on spending as a lot time as doable with my household. Actually my daughter is asleep in my arms proper now. It is a fantastic time in the intervening time.

Might you inform me what sort of mild coaching you do even on break to remain in form?

Our trainers and coaches give us sure routines to keep up and we maintain following up with them. We will not lie round on the mattress for too lengthy on our break days. Health is essential and also you perceive its worth much more when you turn into an skilled participant. In fact, we do give a break of 3-4 days to our our bodies and mentally we attempt to simply chill out. So we spend time with our household, practice considerably in keeping with our schedule, it’s only a change of scene and a distinct ambiance and that’s fairly essential.

Do you additionally comply with hockey matches in your break day?

Oh sure, I used to be simply following the ladies’s crew (India beat Paris 2024 silver medallists China within the closing to win the 2024 Girls’s Asian Champions Trophy). They carried out so properly and gained the trophy, very blissful to see that. The boys are on the Asia Cup (Males’s Junior Asia Cup in Muscat). There was a match in opposition to Japan at this time (India gained 3-2) and there was a giant win earlier than that (India beat Thailand 11-0). I do like following the matches, the truth is I do watch any of the matches on the nationwide stage and within the age-group ranges every time I can.

PR Sreejesh is the top coach of the Indian crew in Muscat for the Junior Asia Cup. Simply needed your ideas on him transitioning into a training position and the way you’re feeling it would pan out.

He was such an amazing participant, skilled. He has bought a variety of information of the game and he has bought superb communication abilities. He can actually information gamers properly. I might like to ask him every time I get an opportunity how his expertise has been to this point as a coach. I’m certain it will go properly for him although, the crew peformed properly once they went for the Sultan of Johor Cup as properly. Hope we win the Junior World Cup as properly now.

You may have spoken up to now of the position the HIL performed in your growth as a junior participant and now the league is returning. How are you wanting ahead to the season?

It is rather essential, very mandatory for the way forward for hockey. So huge because of Hockey India for bringing it again. It’s taking place after seven years. This can be a nice alternative for the youthful gamers. After we have been younger it actually helped in shaking off nervousness and constructing confidence. There are a variety of younger gamers and as seniors, whether or not we be Indian or not, we might be trying to train as many issues as doable which is able to come in useful later of their careers. That is the time for them to be taught, construct up their confidence.

It will clearly be completely different to play for these league groups in comparison with enjoying in your home facet or your nationwide facet, particularly as a result of you can be enjoying with international gamers. Are you able to shed extra mild on precisely what points are completely different?

Sure it’s fairly completely different, everybody comes with their very own methods of enjoying and their very own completely different mindsets. Now we have to someway put all of them collectively and construct a crew. That’s the largest job and that’s additionally the half that we take pleasure in. You be taught new issues, a variety of new concepts. Gamers from all types of backgrounds be taught to play collectively. The international gamers will not take too lengthy to regulate, coaching routines and different points are largely standardised all over the place these days. So I feel the main focus will all the time be on getting the children snug within the crew. Actually excited for it.

What was your response if you bought to know that you will play for Soorma and you’ve got fetched INR 78 lakh within the HIL public sale?

I used to be very blissful that I’ll play for a crew primarily based in Punjab, household additionally was very blissful. I’m from right here in spite of everything. Any type of monetary incentive is superb however I used to be very blissful that I’m enjoying for the Punjab crew. I might’ve been blissful no matter which crew I went to however it’s extra particular that I’m going to play for the crew that represents the place I come from. Now we have bought a great crew collectively, hopefully we are going to do properly.

India’s subsequent task is the following Professional League season, which begins on February 15. It will likely be a fast turnover from the top of the HIL, is not it?

Sure, there is not an excessive amount of time. I feel there’s a break of about 3-4 days after the league after which we straightaway go into the nationwide camp. There is not an excessive amount of time. It is good that we are going to be enjoying constantly although, there will not be too many points with sustaining health. We must handle our our bodies to a sure extent whereas enjoying the HIL. However it’s good that we’re enjoying proper after that, we’re fairly excited for it. We wish to do properly within the Professional League, it will likely be a great way to arrange for the Asia Cup (to be held in Rajgir, Bihar from August 27).

Lastly, hockey has been axed from the Commonwealth Video games and will not characteristic at Glasgow 2026. What was your response if you first bought this information?

In fact, it was our goal to win the CWG gold. We beat Australia on the Olympics they usually have been successful gold at CWG proper from the start. We have been fairly assured that we might have the ability to do one thing particular this time and win gold. It’s unhappy however properly, not in our arms.