"They will change colour of medal": Rani Rampal backs India men's hockey team to shine in Paris
Jul 22, 2024
New Delhi [India], July 22 : India field hockey player and coach Rani Rampal rooted for the men's team to change the colour of their Tokyo bronze medal in the upcoming edition of the Paris Olympics.
Placed in Pool B, India will begin their campaign against New Zealand on July 27. Rani stated that the team has prepared a lot for the upcoming edition of the Summer Games, and the whole country has high expectations of them to shine in the Olympics.
"Last time, our men's team won a bronze, and this time country has high expectations from them that they will win a different medal. They have prepared a lot for that. We should support our team no matter what. We firmly believe that they will change the colour of the medal," Rani told ANI.
In hockey, men's players will be the sole team to represent the country. The women's team failed to breach the qualification zone after losing to Japan in the FIH Qualifiers earlier this year.
Rani believes that the women's team will learn from the setback and shift their focus to the LA 2028 Olympics.
"Unfortunately, the women's hockey team could not qualify for the Olympics this time, which is a setback for us. In sports, we learn and move forward. We will prepare for the 2028 Olympics," she added.
She went on to wish the entire Indian contingent to leave their mark in the Paris Olympics and showcase their true capabilities.
"I wish the best of luck to all the Indian players who are going to the Paris Olympics. It is your time to show your true capability," Rani concluded.
India have been drawn in Pool B, which comprises Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, Ireland, and reigning champions Belgium. In order to secure qualification for the next round, India will need to secure a top-four finish in the group stage.
India men's hockey team squad for Paris Olympics:
Goalkeepers: PR Sreejesh
Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay
Midfielders: Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad
Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh.
