'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh has no plans to retire anytime soon but he knows very well that the forthcoming Paris Olympics 2024 will be his fourth and last Summer Games. He is thus eager to give his best one final time at the quadrennial event in Paris.
Manpreet Singh was the captain of the Indian men’s team that secured the bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, breaking a 41-year-old Olympic medal drought for the Indian hockey team.
“I never thought that I would be able to play four Olympics. It is every player’s dream to play in the Olympics and win medals. I consider myself very lucky that this is my fourth Olympics,” Manpreet told PTI Bhasha (via The Hindu).
“I am going to Paris thinking as if it is my last Olympics and I have to give my best. I haven’t thought about quitting the game yet and my complete focus is on the Paris Games,” he added.
“That was the most difficult phase for me” - Manpreet Singh
Notably, Manpreet was a member of the Indian hockey team that won Asian Games gold medals in 2014 and 2023. However, his professional journey hasn’t been a smooth ride as he faced the worst phase of his career when former coach Sjoerd Marijne made serious statements against him.
It’s worth noting that Marijne accused Manpreet of asking a player to underperform to get his friends into the national team during the Commonwealth Games in 2018. However, both men’s and women’s teams denied it, emphasizing that Marijne did it to publicize his book.
“That was the most difficult phase for me. I could never even think of such things. I was broken and lost faith in everyone. I told (PR) Sreejesh with whom I share everything. My mother also encouraged me to keep playing to fulfil my father’s dream and my whole team supported me,” said Manpreet Singh.
Team India are placed in Pool B at the Paris Olympics 2024 and they will start off their campaign against New Zealand on July 27. Later, they will compete with Argentina on July 29. They will lock horns with Ireland, Belgium, and Australia on July 30, August 1, and August 2 respectively.
ALSO READ | Paris Olympics 2024: Complete list of Indian athletes who have qualified so far
