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The Indian men's hockey team embarked on a rigorous training regimen in preparation for the upcoming Paris Olympics. The team's journey began with a three-day mental toughness camp in Switzerland under the guidance of renowned adventurer Mike Horn. This camp aimed to instill resilience and determination in the players.Following the Swiss camp, the team traveled to the Netherlands for a series of practice matches. These matches provided valuable experience against top-tier opposition and allowed the players to fine-tune their strategies. The team's final destination before the Olympics will be Paris, where they are scheduled to arrive on July 20.Skipper Harmanpreet Singh expressed confidence in the team's preparations. He emphasized the importance of the upcoming experiences in ensuring that the players are "in the best state of mind and body before we begin our Olympic journey."The team's training regimen has been meticulously designed to maximize their physical and mental capabilities. The Swiss camp focused on developing mental toughness through extreme challenges, while the practice matches in the Netherlands provided opportunities for tactical refinement.The Indian men's hockey team has a rich history of success at the Olympics, having won eight gold medals. The team's current squad is determined to add to that legacy and bring home another medal from Paris.

India's Olympic journey has been a rollercoaster ride, marked by both triumphs and setbacks. Since gaining independence in 1947, India has participated in every edition of the Summer Olympics, showcasing its prowess in various sports.Early Dominance in Hockey:India's golden era in hockey began in 1928, when the team won its first Olympic gold medal. They went on to dominate the sport, winning six consecutive golds from 1928 to 1960. The team's success was largely attributed to legendary players like Dhyan Chand and Kishan Lal.Challenges and Setbacks:However, India's dominance in hockey faced challenges in the 1960s. In 1960, Pakistan defeated India for the first time in Olympic history, ending their golden run. The 1976 Montreal Olympics marked a turning point, as India failed to win a medal in hockey for the first time since 1928.Individual Successes:Despite the setbacks in hockey, India has produced several individual medalists in other sports. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won the first individual medal for independent India in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Milkha Singh narrowly missed out on a bronze in the 400m at the 1960 Rome Olympics.Women's Hockey and Other Sports:Women's hockey made its Olympic debut in 1980, and India's women's team has since made significant progress. They finished fourth at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, their best performance to date. India has also seen success in other sports, including weightlifting (Karnam Malleswari), shooting (Abhinav Bindra), and wrestling (Sushil Kumar).Recent Successes:The 2020 Tokyo Olympics was a historic one for India, as the country won a record seven medals. Neeraj Chopra became India's first Olympic gold medalist in athletics since 1900, while the men's hockey team won bronze, their first medal in the sport since 1980. PV Sindhu became a double Olympic medalist in badminton, and Lovlina Borgohain won bronze in boxing.Conclusion:India's Olympic journey has been a testament to the country's sporting prowess and resilience. From the golden era of hockey to the recent successes in various sports, India has consistently showcased its ability to compete at the highest level. As the country prepares for the 2024 Paris Olympics, it will be hoping to continue its Olympic legacy and bring home more medals.

Harmanpreet Singh will lead India's 16-member men's hockey squad at the Paris Olympics, aiming to secure a second consecutive podium finish. The team, selected after two days of trials, boasts a blend of experience and youth.Veteran goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, along with Manpreet Singh, will become the first Indian hockey players to participate in four Olympics. Harmanpreet, who made his Olympic debut in 2016, will be appearing in his third Games.Five Olympic debutants will join the experienced core, including Sanjay and Jarmanpreet Singh in defense, Rajkumar Pal in midfield, and Abhishek and Sukhjeet Singh in attack.Coach Craig Fulton expressed confidence in the team's ability to manage a second successive podium finish. "The selection process was incredibly competitive, but I am confident that every player chosen will bring their best," he said.India is placed in Pool B alongside defending champion Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland. They will need to finish in the top four to advance to the knockout stage.The squad's experience and youthfulness are expected to complement each other, providing the versatility and energy required to tackle the challenges ahead.

Hockey India has announced a 27-member core group of players for a pre-Olympic national camp, which will be held from June 21 to July 8 at the SAI center in Bengaluru. The camp is part of India's preparations for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics, where they will face a tough challenge in Pool B, alongside Belgium, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, and Ireland.The core group includes experienced players who have been instrumental in India's recent success in the FIH Hockey Pro League, where they currently occupy the fourth spot. Goalkeepers Krishan Bahadur Pathak, PR Sreejesh, and Suraj Karkera will be joined by defenders Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, and Amir Ali.The midfield will be led by captain Manpreet Singh, along with Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Nilakanta Sharma, Rajkumar Pal, Vishnukant Singh, and Akashdeep Singh. Mohammed Raheel Mouseen will also be part of the midfield contingent.The forward line will feature Mandeep Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Abhishek, Dilpreet Singh, Sukhjeet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Boby Singh Dhami, and Araijeet Singh Hundal. Notably, striker Dilpreet Singh is a notable absentee from the core list.Indian men's hockey team chief coach Craig Fulton believes the Pro League outing against top teams of the world was a great experience for his side. "We are looking to start an important block of training in this camp, and we need to make sure that we are in the best form ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics. The players have learned a lot from their matches in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24," he said."It has helped us in realizing where we need to improve. We have a lot of time to work on those areas. We have a strong mix of players who are capable of winning anything," the South African added.The Indian men's hockey team will be hoping to build on their bronze medal performance at the Tokyo Olympics and challenge for a podium finish in Paris. The pre-Olympic camp will provide them with a valuable opportunity to fine-tune their skills and tactics ahead of the Games.

The Indian men's hockey team, led by captain Harmanpreet Singh, has concluded their FIH Pro League campaign with a commendable performance, finishing fourth in the points tally with 24 points from 16 matches. The team's journey included five wins, three shootout victories, five defeats, and three shootout losses.Harmanpreet Singh, the star drag-flicker, emerged as a standout performer, finishing as the top scorer for India with 12 goals. He also holds the joint lead in the tournament's scoring charts alongside Australia's Blake Govers and the Netherlands' Jip Janssen. Singh's scoring prowess was evident as he netted eight goals from penalty corners and four from penalty strokes.The FIH Pro League has served as a valuable preparatory event for the Indian team ahead of the Paris Olympics. The tournament provided the team with an opportunity to compete against top-tier teams and assess their strengths and areas for improvement."This league has been crucial in helping us understand our strengths and areas for improvement. Competing against top-tier teams has given us valuable insights into our game," said Harmanpreet Singh. "We now know where we stand and what we need to work on to perform at our best on the global stage."The Indian team will now take a short break before assembling for a brief camp in Bengaluru. "We have identified specific aspects of our game that need attention, and the upcoming camp will be vital in working on those areas," said Harmanpreet. "Our goal is to build on our performance and ensure we are fully prepared for the Paris Olympics."

Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has revealed that he dabbled in various sports, including shot-put, before settling on hockey as his primary pursuit. In an interview with cricketer Dinesh Karthik on JioCinema's 'Get Set Gold,' Sreejesh shared his reasons for choosing the goalkeeper position: to avoid the strenuous running required of forwards and defenders."Hockey was not easy because you need to bend, you need to play. That was tough for me. And over that, you need to run. I was an overweight guy. I didn't like running at all," Sreejesh explained. "So, I have seen these goalkeepers in full kit, standing in a corner and kicking the ball. I thought that was pretty funny because they're not doing anything. They're not running. They're just wearing the pad and kicking the ball. So, I thought this was the right position for me because you don't need to run. You're a part of the hockey team and you'll get grace marks."However, Sreejesh emphasized that being a hockey goalkeeper requires a certain level of "craziness" to perform at the highest level. "The goalkeeper has to be a crazy person. Crazy, because you just need to have the guts to stand in front of that ball. The second thing is aggression, you need to be an aggressive person, and those reflexes have to be there. You don't get much time to just think, 'Save.' No, you just need to save it. Then you realize, 'Okay, I made that save,'" he said.Sreejesh's journey to hockey began with shot-put in his school days due to his overweight and shorter stature. He then tried football and volleyball but found his calling in hockey. Despite initially choosing the goalkeeper position to avoid running, he has since become one of the most decorated players in Indian hockey history.Sreejesh is the only Indian men's player to win the World Games Athlete of the Year award (2021). He has also won 16 international medals, including an Olympic Bronze (2020), two Asian Games Gold medals (2014, 2022), two Commonwealth Games Silver medals (2014, 2022), and four Asian Champions Trophy Gold medals (2011, 2016, 2018, 2023).Sreejesh is expected to represent India in men's field hockey at the Paris 2024 Olympics. India has been seeded with Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland in Group B of the tournament.

The Indian junior women's hockey team displayed resilience and determination in their fifth match of their European tour, despite suffering a 4-6 defeat to Germany. After conceding six goals in the first half, India rallied back with four goals in the second half, showcasing their fighting spirit.Germany started the match aggressively, scoring early in the first quarter and doubling their lead soon after. India's defense held strong, successfully defending multiple penalty corners. However, Germany managed to score a third goal before the end of the first quarter.The second quarter saw India start brightly, but they were unable to find the back of the net. Germany extended their lead to 6-0 in the third quarter, including a successful penalty corner conversion.Undeterred, India fought back in the final quarter. Sanjana Horo scored India's first goal, followed by another from Horo and goals from Binima Dhan and Kanika Siwach. India's late surge reduced the margin to 4-6, but it was not enough to secure a victory.On Sunday, India lost 0-1 to Germany in their fourth match. Germany scored early in the first quarter, and despite India's efforts to equalize, they were unable to find the net. Germany nearly doubled their lead in the final quarter, but India's goalkeeper denied their penalty stroke. India's final chance came in the form of a penalty corner, but they failed to convert it, resulting in a 0-1 defeat.India will face Dutch club side Oranje Rood in Breda, Netherlands on May 29 in their next match.

Captain Harmanpreet Singh led the Indian men's hockey team to a thrilling 5-4 victory over Argentina in the FIH Hockey Pro League in Antwerp. Singh's sensational hat-trick proved decisive in the hard-fought encounter.India made a strong start, dominating possession and creating scoring opportunities. Araijeet Singh Hundal opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a brilliant field goal. However, Argentina responded quickly, with Federico Monja leveling the score just two minutes later.India regained the lead in the 18th minute through Gurjant Singh's excellent field goal. Argentina once again equalized in the 24th minute through Nicolas Keenan. The first half ended with India holding a narrow 3-2 advantage, thanks to Harmanpreet's penalty corner goal in the final minute.The second half was equally intense, with both teams displaying quick-fire hockey. India earned a penalty corner in the third quarter but failed to convert. Argentina also had their chances but were denied by the Indian defense.The fourth quarter proved to be decisive. India was awarded a penalty stroke with 10 minutes remaining, which Harmanpreet converted to extend India's lead to 4-2. Two minutes later, India was awarded another penalty stroke, which Harmanpreet again successfully converted.Argentina fought back valiantly, with Tadeo Marucci and Lucas Martinez scoring in quick succession to set up an exciting finish. However, India held on to secure a hard-earned victory.Harmanpreet's hat-trick was the highlight of the match, showcasing his exceptional drag-flicking skills. The Indian defense also played a crucial role, with goalkeeper Krishan Pathak making several key saves.India will next face Germany on June 1 in their next FIH Hockey Pro League match.

India's hockey team has faced a series of setbacks in recent months, including a disappointing performance at the 2023 World Cup. However, the team has been working to rebuild its momentum and belief through a series of team-building exercises designed to foster friendship, trust, and bonding within the group.Chief coach Craig Fulton and mental health expert Paddy Upton have implemented a variety of activities to help the team detach itself from hockey and focus on other aspects of their lives. These activities have included swimming, surfing, hiking, and even making short films.The team's recent success in the Pro League, where they defeated 2016 Rio Olympics champions Argentina, is a testament to the importance of keeping the mood light and fostering a positive team environment."These activities will not necessarily improve your hockey but what it will improve are your relationships, understanding and trust of your teammates," says Fulton. "Investing in team and individuals and doing things outside hockey are ways to refuel the process because if you just train, you’ll end up running out of fuel."The team's bonding exercises have also helped them to develop a better understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. During a hike up Table Mountain in South Africa, the team realized that they needed to look after everyone, communicate, understand, and go up together."They were small but important things. Some had issues with the altitude, some were nervous looking at the climb, some got tired. The idea was to support, boost each other and take everyone along. That is how you win," said India forward Lalit Upadhyay.The team's bonding exercises have also helped them to develop a greater sense of creativity and presence of mind. During an "Oscar night" event, the team was divided into groups and had to make short films based on certain themes. The entire squad then watched the films together during a special screening which turned out to be a laugh riot following which ‘Oscar’ awards were also handed out."The name of our movie was Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Just think – Akashdeep (Singh) was a king who had to deliver justice. Raj(kumar Pal) was playing a female dancer who had been teased. I was senapati (military chief), the movie was shot by Shamsher (Singh). It was super fun. All teams had a director, actors, cameramen. We shot the entire day and it was screened during a team dinner. The entire campus was filled with laughter," says Hardik.The team's bonding exercises have been a key factor in their recent success. They have helped the team to build a stronger foundation and to develop a greater sense of trust and camaraderie. These exercises will continue to be an important part of the team's preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.