India Sets Sights on Olympic Gold in Hockey After Breaking 41-Year Medal Drought

India ended a 41-year Olympic medal drought in men's hockey with a bronze in Tokyo, fueling hopes for a ninth gold medal at the upcoming Paris Games. Dominating the sport in a different era, modern hockey sees fierce competition from nations like Germany, Australia, and Belgium.

India broke a 41-year medal drought in Olympic men's hockey with a bronze at the Tokyo Games three years ago. This milestone has ignited hopes for a ninth gold medal for the once-dominant hockey powerhouse in Paris.

Most of India's titles were clinched during a different era, when the game was played on grass fields and often after soccer matches. Neighbors Pakistan were also a formidable force then. However, the fast-paced modern game on astroturf is now dominated by nations like Germany, the Netherlands, Britain, Australia, Argentina, and Belgium, the latter of which claimed gold in Tokyo.

In the quadrennial World Cup, Pakistan initially dominated, but Germany secured their third title in 2023. India's Hardik Singh, the current World Player of the Year, follows the footsteps of his captain Manpreet Singh, who won the award two consecutive years. Manpreet, hailed as the world's best drag flicker, recently remarked that the Tokyo bronze renewed India's faith in their hockey team. Forward Lalit Kumar Upadhyay expressed the team's clear mission for Paris: 'We are looking forward to changing the color of our medal from bronze to gold.' According to Upadhyay, modern hockey is highly unpredictable, with any team capable of winning on a given day. India's strategy hinges on robust defense, as emphasized by the mantra 'defend for the win.'

(With inputs from agencies.)