From Neeraj Chopra to PV Sindhu: Indian Athletes get mind-boggling cash rewards after winning medals in Tokyo Olympics

<p>Indian men's hockey team has&nbsp;ended their 41-year wait to win a medal in the Olympics after they defeated Germany and won a bronze medal. The Men in Blue held their nerve to win a thrilling match and beat the Germans 5-4 at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-2020-india-end-41-year-medal-wait-in-mens-hockey-as-they-win-bronze-402994" hreflang="en">Tokyo 2020: India end 41-year medal wait in men's hockey as they win bronze</a></p>

<p>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team on scripting history and winning India the first medal in men's hockey since 1980. He tweeted: "Historic! A day that will be etched in the memory of every Indian. Congratulations to our Men’s Hockey Team for bringing home the Bronze. With this feat, they have captured the imagination of the entire nation, especially our youth. India is proud of our Hockey team."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Historic! A day that will be etched in the memory of every Indian.<br />
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Congratulations to our Men’s Hockey Team for bringing home the Bronze. With this feat, they have captured the imagination of the entire nation, especially our youth. India is proud of our Hockey team. 🏑</p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1423122624679268355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Indian President Ram Nath Kovind also took to Twitter and wrote: "Congratulations to our men's hockey team for winning an Olympic Medal in hockey after 41 years. The team showed exceptional skills, resilience &amp; determination to win. This historic victory will start a new era in hockey and will inspire the youth to take up and excel in the sport."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations to our men's hockey team for winning an Olympic Medal in hockey after 41 years. The team showed exceptional skills, resilience &amp; determination to win. This historic victory will start a new era in hockey and will inspire the youth to take up and excel in the sport</p>
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1423125026576879620?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Here are some of the politicians who also congratulated the Indian team on a historic win.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a>🇮🇳.<br />
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A moment of immense pride and joy for every Indian that our Men’s Hockey Team has won the Bronze Medal at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a>. You have made the entire nation proud. <a href="https://t.co/Nl9LIujhVR">pic.twitter.com/Nl9LIujhVR</a></p>
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1423126310482812928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Brilliant in Blue 👏<br />
Congratulations Indian Men’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hockey</a> Team on the spectacular victory to give us an Olympic medal after 41 long years. This historic win at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> will inspire generation of sportspersons. All the very best for future. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cheer4India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cheer4India</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thehockeyindia</a></p>
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) <a href="https://twitter.com/Naveen_Odisha/status/1423127060076138498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">After 41 years wait..!<br />
A golden moment for Indian Hockey and Indian Sports! Finally, long wait is over as India defeated Germany to win Hockey Men's Olympic Bronze medal at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a><br />
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India in complete celebration mood! Congratulations to our Hockey players !! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cheer4India?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cheer4India</a> 🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/RmeGOnCpBn">pic.twitter.com/RmeGOnCpBn</a></p>
— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirenRijiju/status/1423121015253585920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Many sports icons took to Twitter to congratulate the Indian hockey team.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chak De Fattey ! Burraaah<br />
A landmark day for <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheHockeyIndia</a><br />
After being down 3-1, INDIA fights back to win the bronze medal match 5-3, a first Olympic medal in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hockey?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hockey</a> after 40 years. Mazaa aa gaya <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvsGer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvsGer</a> <a href="https://t.co/0T3ssVPnRG">pic.twitter.com/0T3ssVPnRG</a></p>
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) <a href="https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/1423122200236683266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations 🇮🇳 . Bronze in Hockey after 41 yrs . What a game. Proud of Indian Hockey. <a href="https://twitter.com/TheHockeyIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheHockeyIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Olympics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Olympics</a> <a href="https://t.co/JkJVZYWNp3">pic.twitter.com/JkJVZYWNp3</a></p>
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) <a href="https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/1423123385869955080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>Many Bollywood superstars also congratulated the Indian team.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wow!! Indian Men’s Hockey Team Congratulations. Resilience and skill at its peak. What an exciting match.</p>
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/iamsrk/status/1423124431275102217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Congratulations Team India on rewriting history! An Olympic medal after 41 years! What a match, what a comeback! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> <a href="https://t.co/3mdym3Cupa">pic.twitter.com/3mdym3Cupa</a></p>
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) <a href="https://twitter.com/akshaykumar/status/1423127461185736709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Indian men's hockey team has ended their 41-year wait to win a medal in the Olympics after they defeated Germany and won a bronze medal. The Men in Blue held their nerve to win a thrilling match and beat the Germans 5-4 at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Thursday.

Indian men's hockey team has ended their 41-year wait to win a medal in the Olympics after they defeated Germany and won a bronze medal. The Men in Blue held their nerve to win a thrilling match and beat the Germans 5-4 at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 on Thursday. ALSO READ: Tokyo 2020: India end 41-year medal wait in men's hockey as they win bronze Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team on scripting history and winning India the first medal in men's hockey since 1980. He tweeted: "Historic! A day that will be etched in the memory of every Indian. Congratulations to our Men’s Hockey Team for bringing home the Bronze. With this feat, they have captured the imagination of the entire nation, especially our youth. India is proud of our Hockey team." Historic! A day that will be etched in the memory of every Indian. Congratulations to our Men’s Hockey Team for bringing home the Bronze. With this feat, they have captured the imagination of the entire nation, especially our youth. India is proud of our Hockey team. 🏑 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 5, 2021 × Indian President Ram Nath Kovind also took to Twitter and wrote: "Congratulations to our men's hockey team for winning an Olympic Medal in hockey after 41 years. The team showed exceptional skills, resilience & determination to win. This historic victory will start a new era in hockey and will inspire the youth to take up and excel in the sport." Congratulations to our men's hockey team for winning an Olympic Medal in hockey after 41 years. The team showed exceptional skills, resilience & determination to win. This historic victory will start a new era in hockey and will inspire the youth to take up and excel in the sport — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) August 5, 2021 × Here are some of the politicians who also congratulated the Indian team on a historic win. Congratulations #TeamIndia🇮🇳. A moment of immense pride and joy for every Indian that our Men’s Hockey Team has won the Bronze Medal at #Tokyo2020. You have made the entire nation proud. pic.twitter.com/Nl9LIujhVR — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) August 5, 2021 × Brilliant in Blue 👏 Congratulations Indian Men’s #Hockey Team on the spectacular victory to give us an Olympic medal after 41 long years. This historic win at #Tokyo2020 will inspire generation of sportspersons. All the very best for future. #Cheer4India @thehockeyindia — Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) August 5, 2021 × After 41 years wait..! A golden moment for Indian Hockey and Indian Sports! Finally, long wait is over as India defeated Germany to win Hockey Men's Olympic Bronze medal at #Tokyo2020 India in complete celebration mood! Congratulations to our Hockey players !! #Cheer4India 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/RmeGOnCpBn — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) August 5, 2021 × Many sports icons took to Twitter to congratulate the Indian hockey team. Chak De Fattey ! Burraaah A landmark day for @TheHockeyIndia After being down 3-1, INDIA fights back to win the bronze medal match 5-3, a first Olympic medal in #Hockey after 40 years. Mazaa aa gaya #IndvsGer pic.twitter.com/0T3ssVPnRG — Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 5, 2021 × Congratulations 🇮🇳 . Bronze in Hockey after 41 yrs . What a game. Proud of Indian Hockey. @TheHockeyIndia @Olympics pic.twitter.com/JkJVZYWNp3 — Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) August 5, 2021 × Many Bollywood superstars also congratulated the Indian team. Wow!! Indian Men’s Hockey Team Congratulations. Resilience and skill at its peak. What an exciting match. — Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) August 5, 2021 × Congratulations Team India on rewriting history! An Olympic medal after 41 years! What a match, what a comeback! #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/3mdym3Cupa — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 5, 2021 ×

From PM Modi to Akshay Kumar: Congratulations pour in after India's historic win in hockey at Tokyo Olympics

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. While the year 2020 was supposed to be an extremely hectic year in the world of sports, the dreaded virus has left the fans and sportspersons with absolutely no live action at all. Hockey is one of the sports to have taken a body blow from the coronavirus pandemic. After the extension of the lockdown till May 3 by the Indian government, Hockey India decided to postpone all its national championships indefinitely. In the international circuit, there will be no matches for the Indian team until the month of June, as of now.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The goalkeeper of Indian men's hockey team, PR Sreejesh, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from lockdown in SAI campus in Bengaluru, training while maintaining social distancing, postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, the emergence of young talents in Indian hockey, and much more.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-might-be-a-good-idea-to-look-at-quarantine-facility-for-olympic-hopefuls-pullela-gopichand-opens-up-on-postponed-games-and-more-292727" hreflang="en">Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>Digvijay Singh Deo: </strong>Now normally Sreejesh is a very jovial person but the lockdown is no laughing matter. &nbsp;Hopefully no dampening of spirits within the Indian team…</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh:</strong>&nbsp;We are still trying to keep our spirits up, unfortunately, certain things are not in our control. We are just trying to stay positive and focus on the things that make us happy.</p>

<p><strong>DSD:</strong>&nbsp;You are in Bengaluru inside the Sports Authority of India campus. I am told that the officials there very strictly enforced social distancing back in the second week of March itself and no outsiders were allowed to enter the campus…</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh: </strong>This was a great initiative from SAI we started our camp here on March 1, so we've been here for over six weeks. The gates of the campus were closed in March itself, and they didn't allow any outsiders to enter and no person from the campus could leave the premises as well. It is perfect for us to be able to stay here during the lockdown. I believe we are completely safe and secure here inside the campus.</p>

<p><img alt="Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bee04e38-fda1-4525-bb98-a4b7cc7d39bb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pr-sreejesh-hockey-file-pti.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>DSD:</strong>&nbsp;Now what is your routine and that of your team especially when we all have to follow social distancing…<br />
&nbsp;<br />
<strong>Sreejesh:</strong>&nbsp;As we all know the Olympics have been postponed and no international events are coming up in the near future, but still we are focussing on our fitness and strength. We are following the safety guidelines that have been issued by the government. So our staff here has prepared individual training schedules for players. We go in groups of 2 or 3 to run on the track.</p>

<p>We can't use the gym, but we are undergoing individual weight training sessions in whatever space we can. Our focus right now is on maintaining our fitness levels that we have built up over the last few years. We are not doing any hockey training at the moment because of the social distancing rules, but we are continuing to work hard on our fitness levels.</p>

<p><strong>DSD: </strong>You come from Kerala and there have been a lot of positive cases there. Your family is there so are you in touch with them daily?</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh:</strong>&nbsp;Yes, the safety of my family was my first concern when the crisis started. My father is over 60 yeas old and he is a heart patient, so it is extremely important for him to be safe and remain inside the house with my mother. I have told them not to leave the house unless it is for something urgent. I have two children who are less than six years old, so being away from them is tough, but I read the situation in Kerala is improving. The government, medical professionals and the people of the state are doing a commendable job in limiting the spread of the virus.</p>

<p><strong>DSD: </strong>Now in the last month we have seen the global sporting calendar wiped out. The Olympics which was the dream of everyone associated with Indian hockey too was postponed. How did the team and especially you react to that news?</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh:</strong>&nbsp;The first reaction was that of disappointment because for the last year we were preparing for the 2020 Olympics scheduled in July and August. We sealed our place in the games in November last year and since then we were in a good run of form, we started the FIH Pro League on a positive note as well.</p>

<p>But like I said before the postponement is something that is not in our control. Now we have another year to improve our game, work on our weaknesses and further sharpen our strengths. In terms of mental preparedness as well, we have to accept the fact that the games have been pushed back. But I'm sure if we maintain our focus and intensity levels, we will continue to challenge the world's top teams as we have been doing recently.</p>

<p><strong>DSD</strong>: The Olympics need a lot of detailed planning and coaches spend a lot of time trying to ensure the team peaks right during the Olympics. The way we were playing sort of showed we had momentum behind us.how do you start from scratch again now with the games now 15 months away.</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh:</strong>&nbsp;Yes that's correct if you see our results in the last few months, we have been steadily improving. Our performances in the pro league were particularly encouraging. But then the whole scenario changed because of the coronavirus crisis. Now there is even uncertainty whether the games will be held in 2021 as well. But this is not in our control, we can only ensure that whenever the games happen, we are fully prepared for the competition. We have to maintain our mental and physical state throughout these 15 months. There will also be changes in the tactics and the performance levels of our competitors.</p>

<p><img alt="Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="797cf470-7e5f-4bef-b779-594802b179bc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_Hkg5495227.jpg" /></p>

<p>New players might come in and they might undertake a new style of play. But overall, I think our momentum heading into the games was halted which means we have to re-calibrate. Once we know the schedule for the next competitive match, then only we will able to get our rhythm back. We have enough time to work on our basics and get our campaign back on track. In terms of fitness levels, I feel our trainer is good enough to ensure that we make up for the time that we have lost in the gym and in the field. So I believe we will regain our fitness levels once the lockdown is over.</p>

<p><strong>DSD</strong>: We have seen this year during the FIH Pro League how younger players were coming into the team and gelling well with the experienced lot including you and Manpreet. Now seniors like you know how to deal with adversity having spent so much time in the game. How crucial a role do you see for yourself, Manpreet, Kothajit and Rupinderpal in guiding these young players through this period of uncertainty.</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh</strong>: Yes that is true, but even for us senior players this is a completely new experience. I have been out of international competitions only once in my life for an extended period of time of about 6-7 months, which was due to an injury. But my advice to young players would be to focus on the basics and maintain your fitness levels. But I would also encourage them not to stress about the ongoing situation. This would be a great time for them to learn a new skill, apart from sport. They can read books and gain other interests, which will, in turn, develop their personalities not just as sportspersons but as human beings.</p>

<p>This might even help in their growth as a player because they will have a new outlook on life when they step on the field. So during the lockdown, there is no point on dwelling on the things that we are not able to do, but instead, make the best of what we have and use this period to sharpen our brain and work on our physical fitness. If the players remain positive and keep themselves occupied in some form, I'm sure the players will benefit and we will hit the ground running when we return to the field.</p>

<p><strong>DSD</strong>: So the lockdown we know is continuing till May 3rd, the Pro League matches are off till may end and across the world, with various flight restrictions and quarantine measures in place there is a possibility that we see no sporting action before July end ..that is around 4-5 months at-least without top-flight action…how do you maintain the intensity levels in a time like this?</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh</strong>: I think this is the time when we need to take our foot off the pedal because it is impossible to remain in peak fitness for 365 days in a year. We, of course, need to retain our basic levels of fitness and be mentally prepared to return to action. As a team, this is the time we are using to unwind. We are doing a sort of post-mortem on our past matches and analysing areas in which we can improve. As athletes, we are involved in international events for a majority of the year, so it can get difficult to deal with such a lockdown, but all we can do is wait and make do with what we have. Once the schedule is out, then hopefully we will get enough time to prepare and regain our fitness levels.</p>

<p><img alt="Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f69178db-c0c3-4984-9786-68189737158a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/pr-sreejash.jpg" /></p>

<p><strong>DSD</strong>: Obviously sport is not a priority at the moment but how important will sport be when the world slowly limps back to normal. Do you think that this period without sport anywhere will actually make everyone appreciate the value of a sportsperson&nbsp;even more, we sort of take things for granted but not anymore.</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh</strong>: It is so strange in a way because people have so much free time at home to watch sport, but there is no action anywhere in the world. But sports has the power to take people's mind off from the doom and gloom of daily life and lift the spirit of everyone. People might cherish sports more after the lockdown since they are desperate for some action and there is none available at the moment. So sportspersons might be respected more after the lockdown in terms of the 'value' that they add to society.</p>

<p><strong>DSD</strong>: Are you in touch with fellow internationals from other teams across the world…do you compare notes with what is happening in their daily lives?</p>

<p><strong>Sreejesh</strong>: Yes, luckily because of social media I am able to connect with a number of international players. All of the player I've spoken to are finding it hard to deal with these unprecedented times. In Europe, the restrictions are extremely strict and it is difficult to function. But the important thing is that they are receiving all the essential services. Most prominent hockey players are working out at home and putting out content on social media. Young players can learn from the work ethic of these stars.it also sends out a message on the importance of staying healthy in these tough times.</p>


The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. While the year 2020 was supposed to be an extremely hectic year in the world of sports, the dreaded virus has left the fans and sportspersons with absolutely no live action at all.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out the entire sporting calendar. While the year 2020 was supposed to be an extremely hectic year in the world of sports, the dreaded virus has left the fans and sportspersons with absolutely no live action at all. Hockey is one of the sports to have taken a body blow from the coronavirus pandemic. After the extension of the lockdown till May 3 by the Indian government, Hockey India decided to postpone all its national championships indefinitely. In the international circuit, there will be no matches for the Indian team until the month of June, as of now. The goalkeeper of Indian men's hockey team, PR Sreejesh, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor, Digvijay Singh Deo, opened up about a lot of things ranging from lockdown in SAI campus in Bengaluru, training while maintaining social distancing, postponement of the Tokyo Olympics, the emergence of young talents in Indian hockey, and much more. ALSO READ: Exclusive: 'Might be a good idea to look at quarantine facility for Olympic hopefuls' - Pullela Gopichand opens up on postponed Games and more Digvijay Singh Deo: Now normally Sreejesh is a very jovial person but the lockdown is no laughing matter. Hopefully no dampening of spirits within the Indian team… Sreejesh: We are still trying to keep our spirits up, unfortunately, certain things are not in our control. We are just trying to stay positive and focus on the things that make us happy. DSD: You are in Bengaluru inside the Sports Authority of India campus. I am told that the officials there very strictly enforced social distancing back in the second week of March itself and no outsiders were allowed to enter the campus… Sreejesh: This was a great initiative from SAI we started our camp here on March 1, so we've been here for over six weeks. The gates of the campus were closed in March itself, and they didn't allow any outsiders to enter and no person from the campus could leave the premises as well. It is perfect for us to be able to stay here during the lockdown. I believe we are completely safe and secure here inside the campus. DSD: Now what is your routine and that of your team especially when we all have to follow social distancing… Sreejesh: As we all know the Olympics have been postponed and no international events are coming up in the near future, but still we are focussing on our fitness and strength. We are following the safety guidelines that have been issued by the government. So our staff here has prepared individual training schedules for players. We go in groups of 2 or 3 to run on the track. We can't use the gym, but we are undergoing individual weight training sessions in whatever space we can. Our focus right now is on maintaining our fitness levels that we have built up over the last few years. We are not doing any hockey training at the moment because of the social distancing rules, but we are continuing to work hard on our fitness levels. DSD: You come from Kerala and there have been a lot of positive cases there. Your family is there so are you in touch with them daily? Sreejesh: Yes, the safety of my family was my first concern when the crisis started. My father is over 60 yeas old and he is a heart patient, so it is extremely important for him to be safe and remain inside the house with my mother. I have told them not to leave the house unless it is for something urgent. I have two children who are less than six years old, so being away from them is tough, but I read the situation in Kerala is improving. The government, medical professionals and the people of the state are doing a commendable job in limiting the spread of the virus. DSD: Now in the last month we have seen the global sporting calendar wiped out. The Olympics which was the dream of everyone associated with Indian hockey too was postponed. How did the team and especially you react to that news? Sreejesh: The first reaction was that of disappointment because for the last year we were preparing for the 2020 Olympics scheduled in July and August. We sealed our place in the games in November last year and since then we were in a good run of form, we started the FIH Pro League on a positive note as well. But like I said before the postponement is something that is not in our control. Now we have another year to improve our game, work on our weaknesses and further sharpen our strengths. In terms of mental preparedness as well, we have to accept the fact that the games have been pushed back. But I'm sure if we maintain our focus and intensity levels, we will continue to challenge the world's top teams as we have been doing recently. DSD: The Olympics need a lot of detailed planning and coaches spend a lot of time trying to ensure the team peaks right during the Olympics. The way we were playing sort of showed we had momentum behind us.how do you start from scratch again now with the games now 15 months away. Sreejesh: Yes that's correct if you see our results in the last few months, we have been steadily improving. Our performances in the pro league were particularly encouraging. But then the whole scenario changed because of the coronavirus crisis. Now there is even uncertainty whether the games will be held in 2021 as well. But this is not in our control, we can only ensure that whenever the games happen, we are fully prepared for the competition. We have to maintain our mental and physical state throughout these 15 months. There will also be changes in the tactics and the performance levels of our competitors. New players might come in and they might undertake a new style of play. But overall, I think our momentum heading into the games was halted which means we have to re-calibrate. Once we know the schedule for the next competitive match, then only we will able to get our rhythm back. We have enough time to work on our basics and get our campaign back on track. In terms of fitness levels, I feel our trainer is good enough to ensure that we make up for the time that we have lost in the gym and in the field. So I believe we will regain our fitness levels once the lockdown is over. DSD: We have seen this year during the FIH Pro League how younger players were coming into the team and gelling well with the experienced lot including you and Manpreet. Now seniors like you know how to deal with adversity having spent so much time in the game. How crucial a role do you see for yourself, Manpreet, Kothajit and Rupinderpal in guiding these young players through this period of uncertainty. Sreejesh: Yes that is true, but even for us senior players this is a completely new experience. I have been out of international competitions only once in my life for an extended period of time of about 6-7 months, which was due to an injury. But my advice to young players would be to focus on the basics and maintain your fitness levels. But I would also encourage them not to stress about the ongoing situation. This would be a great time for them to learn a new skill, apart from sport. They can read books and gain other interests, which will, in turn, develop their personalities not just as sportspersons but as human beings. This might even help in their growth as a player because they will have a new outlook on life when they step on the field. So during the lockdown, there is no point on dwelling on the things that we are not able to do, but instead, make the best of what we have and use this period to sharpen our brain and work on our physical fitness. If the players remain positive and keep themselves occupied in some form, I'm sure the players will benefit and we will hit the ground running when we return to the field. DSD: So the lockdown we know is continuing till May 3rd, the Pro League matches are off till may end and across the world, with various flight restrictions and quarantine measures in place there is a possibility that we see no sporting action before July end ..that is around 4-5 months at-least without top-flight action…how do you maintain the intensity levels in a time like this? Sreejesh: I think this is the time when we need to take our foot off the pedal because it is impossible to remain in peak fitness for 365 days in a year. We, of course, need to retain our basic levels of fitness and be mentally prepared to return to action. As a team, this is the time we are using to unwind. We are doing a sort of post-mortem on our past matches and analysing areas in which we can improve. As athletes, we are involved in international events for a majority of the year, so it can get difficult to deal with such a lockdown, but all we can do is wait and make do with what we have. Once the schedule is out, then hopefully we will get enough time to prepare and regain our fitness levels. DSD: Obviously sport is not a priority at the moment but how important will sport be when the world slowly limps back to normal. Do you think that this period without sport anywhere will actually make everyone appreciate the value of a sportsperson even more, we sort of take things for granted but not anymore. Sreejesh: It is so strange in a way because people have so much free time at home to watch sport, but there is no action anywhere in the world. But sports has the power to take people's mind off from the doom and gloom of daily life and lift the spirit of everyone. People might cherish sports more after the lockdown since they are desperate for some action and there is none available at the moment. So sportspersons might be respected more after the lockdown in terms of the 'value' that they add to society. DSD: Are you in touch with fellow internationals from other teams across the world…do you compare notes with what is happening in their daily lives? Sreejesh: Yes, luckily because of social media I am able to connect with a number of international players. All of the player I've spoken to are finding it hard to deal with these unprecedented times. In Europe, the restrictions are extremely strict and it is difficult to function. But the important thing is that they are receiving all the essential services. Most prominent hockey players are working out at home and putting out content on social media. Young players can learn from the work ethic of these stars.it also sends out a message on the importance of staying healthy in these tough times.

Exclusive: 'Trying to stay positive and keep our spirits up' - PR Sreejesh reflects on life in lockdown, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, and much more

<p>Indian men's hockey coach Harendra Singh was Wednesday sacked from the position following a disappointing 2018 and offered the task of helming the junior squad by the national federation.</p>

<p>Constant chopping and changing of coaches is a frequent phenomenon in Indian hockey and Harendra, who was appointed in May, is the latest casualty.</p>

<p>"Though the year 2018 was very disappointing for the Indian Men's Hockey Team with results not going as expected, Hockey India believes investing in the junior program which will reap long-term benefits," HI said in a statement explaining the reasons behind Harendra's axing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Junior World Cup-winning coach took charge after India's medal-less showing at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games but was unable to change the team's fortunes.</p>

<p>India were also below-par in the Asian Games in Indonesia, settling for a bronze after going into the tournament as the defending champions. They ended the year with a quarterfinal loss in the World Cup in Bhubaneswar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Hockey India will shortly be advertising and will invite applications for the position of the Chief Coach of the Indian Men's Hockey Team which will be returning to training camp in February 2019 for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup scheduled to commence from 23 March 2019.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"In the interim the team will be overseen by Hockey India High Performance Director, David John and current Analytical Coach, Chris Ciriello," said Hockey India in a statement.</p>


Indian men's hockey coach Harendra Singh was Wednesday sacked from the position following a disappointing 2018 and offered the task of helming the junior squad by the national federation.

Indian men's hockey coach Harendra Singh was Wednesday sacked from the position following a disappointing 2018 and offered the task of helming the junior squad by the national federation. Constant chopping and changing of coaches is a frequent phenomenon in Indian hockey and Harendra, who was appointed in May, is the latest casualty. "Though the year 2018 was very disappointing for the Indian Men's Hockey Team with results not going as expected, Hockey India believes investing in the junior program which will reap long-term benefits," HI said in a statement explaining the reasons behind Harendra's axing. The Junior World Cup-winning coach took charge after India's medal-less showing at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games but was unable to change the team's fortunes. India were also below-par in the Asian Games in Indonesia, settling for a bronze after going into the tournament as the defending champions. They ended the year with a quarterfinal loss in the World Cup in Bhubaneswar. "Hockey India will shortly be advertising and will invite applications for the position of the Chief Coach of the Indian Men's Hockey Team which will be returning to training camp in February 2019 for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup scheduled to commence from 23 March 2019. "In the interim the team will be overseen by Hockey India High Performance Director, David John and current Analytical Coach, Chris Ciriello," said Hockey India in a statement.

Only 7 months into job, India men's hockey coach Harendra Singh sacked

<p>The Indian men's hockey team put up a clinical performance against Japan, demolishing the Asiad gold-medallists 9-0 for its third win in as many matches at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy here.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As many as six Indian players made entries on the score-sheet on Sunday night in a dominating show that reaffirmed their supremacy in Asia and showed that the below-par Asian Games performance was an aberration.&nbsp;</p>

<p>With their third successive win, India lead the six-team event's league standings with a maximum nine points, followed by Malaysia on six points from two games.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Strikers Lalit Upadhyay and Mandeep Singh scored two goals each, while drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty stroke and a penalty corner to lead the goal-fest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Upadhyay opened the Indian scoring in the fourth minute with a diving deflection and again got into the action in the 45th minute for his double, while Harmanpreet converted a penalty stroke in the 17th minute and then sounded the board with a low penalty corner shot in the 21st minute.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As Japan's defence was swept away by the Indian raids, Mandeep Singh capitalised on two openings in the last quarter -- in the 49th and 57th minute.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">India defeat Japan by 9-0 margin in the only match played on day four of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 on 21st October 2018. Here's a look at the result of the day.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndiaKaGame?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndiaKaGame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeroACT2018?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeroACT2018</a> <a href="https://t.co/hYyIfmbhhi">pic.twitter.com/hYyIfmbhhi</a></p>
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<p>Japan's goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa was injured in the eighth minute when he blocked Harmanpreet's penalty corner shot, only for the ball to rebound to Gurjant, who flicked it in. Thereafter, reserve Yusuke Takano had to bear the brunt of the Indian attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian coach Harendra Singh was pleased by his team's ruthless performance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The way we played was good. We played to a plan and did not allow Japan's team to play in a certain manner," said Harendra.<br />
The game also saw a goal each from Akashdeep Singh (36th) and Sumit (42nd).&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the points table, Pakistan have three points from two matches, while Japan are on three points in three games. South Korea and Oman have lost both their matches.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Japan coach Siegfried Aikman said India were too strong to be contained in this contest.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We tried our level best, but they were very strong. We were below the level as India sparkled with their speed, agility and hard-press game," said Aikman.&nbsp;</p>


The Indian men's hockey team put up a clinical performance against Japan, demolishing the Asiad gold-medallists 9-0 for its third win in as many matches at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy here.

The Indian men's hockey team put up a clinical performance against Japan, demolishing the Asiad gold-medallists 9-0 for its third win in as many matches at the Hero Asian Champions Trophy here. As many as six Indian players made entries on the score-sheet on Sunday night in a dominating show that reaffirmed their supremacy in Asia and showed that the below-par Asian Games performance was an aberration. With their third successive win, India lead the six-team event's league standings with a maximum nine points, followed by Malaysia on six points from two games. Strikers Lalit Upadhyay and Mandeep Singh scored two goals each, while drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty stroke and a penalty corner to lead the goal-fest. Upadhyay opened the Indian scoring in the fourth minute with a diving deflection and again got into the action in the 45th minute for his double, while Harmanpreet converted a penalty stroke in the 17th minute and then sounded the board with a low penalty corner shot in the 21st minute. As Japan's defence was swept away by the Indian raids, Mandeep Singh capitalised on two openings in the last quarter -- in the 49th and 57th minute. India defeat Japan by 9-0 margin in the only match played on day four of the Hero Asian Champions Trophy 2018 on 21st October 2018. Here's a look at the result of the day.#IndiaKaGame #HeroACT2018 pic.twitter.com/hYyIfmbhhi — Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) October 21, 2018 × Japan's goalkeeper Takashi Yoshikawa was injured in the eighth minute when he blocked Harmanpreet's penalty corner shot, only for the ball to rebound to Gurjant, who flicked it in. Thereafter, reserve Yusuke Takano had to bear the brunt of the Indian attack. Indian coach Harendra Singh was pleased by his team's ruthless performance. "The way we played was good. We played to a plan and did not allow Japan's team to play in a certain manner," said Harendra. The game also saw a goal each from Akashdeep Singh (36th) and Sumit (42nd). On the points table, Pakistan have three points from two matches, while Japan are on three points in three games. South Korea and Oman have lost both their matches. Japan coach Siegfried Aikman said India were too strong to be contained in this contest. "We tried our level best, but they were very strong. We were below the level as India sparkled with their speed, agility and hard-press game," said Aikman.

Asian Champions Trophy: India men's hockey team defeat Japan 9-0

<p>The Indian men&#39;s hockey team produced a spirited perfomance to upstage world No.3 Belgium 5-4 in its second match of the Four Nations Invitational Tournament&#39;s second leg here today.</p>

<p>India had earlier lost 1-2 to Belgium in the final of the first leg but held their nerve till the final hooter to come up with a winner in this high-tempo, high-speed match.</p>

<p>Rupinder Pal Singh (4&#39;, 42&#39;), Harmanpreet Singh (46&#39;), Lalit Upadhyay (53&#39;) and Dilpreet Singh (59&#39;) scored in India&#39;s win while John-John Dohmen (17&#39;), Felix Denayer (37&#39;), Alexander Hendrickx (45&#39;) and Tom Boon (56&#39;) scored for Belgium.</p>

<p>Sjoerd Marijne-coached India began the match with disciplined structure, playing two-touch hockey to rotate the ball swiftly and accurately to pave their way into Belgium&#39;s striking circle.</p>

<p>The effort paid off early when Vivek Sagar Prasad made a quick penetration from the left flank forcing Belgian defender to foul which resulted in the first penalty corner of the match.</p>

<p>It was in-form Rupinder Pal Singh, who stepped up for the drag flick, improvising on Lalit Upadhyay&#39;s injection to fiercely put the ball into the top net. The early 1-0 lead undoubtedly put the Belgians on the backfoot.</p>

<p>But the European side came back in the second quarter with a potent attack that put pressure on the Indian defence. A top of the circle penetration by John-John Dohmen caught the Indian defender Varun Kumar off-guard, as he positioned himself comfortably to take a successful reverse hit leveling the score 1-1.</p>

<p>A PC won by Belgium in the 24th minute saw dangerous Tom Boon take the flick but was brilliantly saved by Sreejesh who plunged to his left to snuff it away.</p>

<p>With seconds remaining for the second hooter, India won a PC but Rupinder&#39;s flick this time went wide ending the second quarter in a stalemate.</p>

<p>The match took a dramatic turn in the third quarter, with both teams displaying top quality skills to take the lead. It was Belgium who forced a foul in the Indian circle to win a PC in the 37th minute.</p>

<p>With a runner missing on the baseline, as they broke too early before the flick, Belgium tried a variation that worked with Felix nudging the ball into the post that put Belgium in 2-1 lead.</p>

<p>Minutes later, a defensive error in their circle saw Belgium give away a PC which was superbly struck by Rupinder in the similar fashion that he scored earlier fetching India the much-needed 2-2 equalizer in the 42nd minute.</p>

<p>Though India were resilient in their defence, an attempt to stop the Belgian forward in the baseline saw India concede a PC with just 43 seconds remaining for the third hooter.</p>

<p>Despite the drag flick being effectively saved by Sreejesh, Belgium kept the ball with Dohmen nudging it to Alexander Hendrickx who found the gap only to win Belgium the 3-2 lead.</p>

<p>With both teams unrelenting in their efforts, the final quarter was nerve-wracking as India came back from the break pressing Belgium high up.</p>

<p>India won a PC on the counter attack, and this time though Rupinder&#39;s drag flick was saved by the Belgian goal keeper Vincent Vanasch, the rebound landed with Harmanpreet Singh who made no mistake in whipping it past Vanasch leveling the score 3-3.</p>

<p>India were awarded yet another PC in the following minute but was well-saved, however, Belgium defence was punished when Vivek Prasad came up with brilliant stick work to dribble past Belgian defenders only to find Lalit unmanned in front of the post.</p>

<p>A perfectly timed deflection by Lalit put India in 4-3 lead in the 53rd minute.</p>

<p>Under pressure to keep the lead, India fumbled in the circle to concede a PC with less than five minutes for the final hooter and the error was punished by Belgian drag flicker Tom Boon who was fierce in his attempt to fetch his team a 4-4 equaliser.</p>

<p>With clock ticking away, both teams hunted for a winner, and despite Belgium holding the ball for most part could not break Indian defence. It was Sreejesh who made a brilliant save yet again to contain Cedric Charlier from scoring.</p>

<p>Seconds later, Indian forward Ramandeep Singh found himself making an ambitious circle entry from the top, turning around to beat Belgian defender, striking the ball towards the post.<br />
With Dilpreet Singh lurking around unmanned, it was another perfectly timed deflection by him that registered the win for India.</p>

<p>On January 27, India will take on Japan in their third match.</p>


India had earlier lost 1-2 to Belgium in the final of the first leg but held their nerve till the final hooter to come up with a winner in this high-tempo, high-speed match.

The Indian men's hockey team produced a spirited perfomance to upstage world No.3 Belgium 5-4 in its second match of the Four Nations Invitational Tournament's second leg here today. India had earlier lost 1-2 to Belgium in the final of the first leg but held their nerve till the final hooter to come up with a winner in this high-tempo, high-speed match. Rupinder Pal Singh (4', 42'), Harmanpreet Singh (46'), Lalit Upadhyay (53') and Dilpreet Singh (59') scored in India's win while John-John Dohmen (17'), Felix Denayer (37'), Alexander Hendrickx (45') and Tom Boon (56') scored for Belgium. Sjoerd Marijne-coached India began the match with disciplined structure, playing two-touch hockey to rotate the ball swiftly and accurately to pave their way into Belgium's striking circle. The effort paid off early when Vivek Sagar Prasad made a quick penetration from the left flank forcing Belgian defender to foul which resulted in the first penalty corner of the match. It was in-form Rupinder Pal Singh, who stepped up for the drag flick, improvising on Lalit Upadhyay's injection to fiercely put the ball into the top net. The early 1-0 lead undoubtedly put the Belgians on the backfoot. But the European side came back in the second quarter with a potent attack that put pressure on the Indian defence. A top of the circle penetration by John-John Dohmen caught the Indian defender Varun Kumar off-guard, as he positioned himself comfortably to take a successful reverse hit leveling the score 1-1. A PC won by Belgium in the 24th minute saw dangerous Tom Boon take the flick but was brilliantly saved by Sreejesh who plunged to his left to snuff it away. With seconds remaining for the second hooter, India won a PC but Rupinder's flick this time went wide ending the second quarter in a stalemate. The match took a dramatic turn in the third quarter, with both teams displaying top quality skills to take the lead. It was Belgium who forced a foul in the Indian circle to win a PC in the 37th minute. With a runner missing on the baseline, as they broke too early before the flick, Belgium tried a variation that worked with Felix nudging the ball into the post that put Belgium in 2-1 lead. Minutes later, a defensive error in their circle saw Belgium give away a PC which was superbly struck by Rupinder in the similar fashion that he scored earlier fetching India the much-needed 2-2 equalizer in the 42nd minute. Though India were resilient in their defence, an attempt to stop the Belgian forward in the baseline saw India concede a PC with just 43 seconds remaining for the third hooter. Despite the drag flick being effectively saved by Sreejesh, Belgium kept the ball with Dohmen nudging it to Alexander Hendrickx who found the gap only to win Belgium the 3-2 lead. With both teams unrelenting in their efforts, the final quarter was nerve-wracking as India came back from the break pressing Belgium high up. India won a PC on the counter attack, and this time though Rupinder's drag flick was saved by the Belgian goal keeper Vincent Vanasch, the rebound landed with Harmanpreet Singh who made no mistake in whipping it past Vanasch leveling the score 3-3. India were awarded yet another PC in the following minute but was well-saved, however, Belgium defence was punished when Vivek Prasad came up with brilliant stick work to dribble past Belgian defenders only to find Lalit unmanned in front of the post. A perfectly timed deflection by Lalit put India in 4-3 lead in the 53rd minute. Under pressure to keep the lead, India fumbled in the circle to concede a PC with less than five minutes for the final hooter and the error was punished by Belgian drag flicker Tom Boon who was fierce in his attempt to fetch his team a 4-4 equaliser. With clock ticking away, both teams hunted for a winner, and despite Belgium holding the ball for most part could not break Indian defence. It was Sreejesh who made a brilliant save yet again to contain Cedric Charlier from scoring. Seconds later, Indian forward Ramandeep Singh found himself making an ambitious circle entry from the top, turning around to beat Belgian defender, striking the ball towards the post. With Dilpreet Singh lurking around unmanned, it was another perfectly timed deflection by him that registered the win for India. On January 27, India will take on Japan in their third match.

Four Nations hockey: India beat Belgium 5-4