I always admire MS
Dhoni for being cool in tense moments ~ but not this man. Watching the match between India and Canada
at Rio, we were tense, wanting India to win.
Sunil over ran, crashed on to the hoarding and was in visible pain. Camera
was on our coach Roelant Oltmans who appeared nonchalant. The Dutch man had
earlier coached Dutch men’s team and women’s team.
Web search led to a
India today news item that Roelant
Oltmans was seen shopping for hockey sticks and shoes at an Adidas store in
Barra, hours after the team's 3-2 victory over Ireland in their opening Pool B
match on Saturday. It stated that Oltmans wanted to do it quietly without
letting anyone in on his shopping spree but India Today caught up with him and
asked the coach a few questions. Oltmans
had ordered the stuff in advance and because adidas was unable to deliver it to
the village, he had to go and pick up all of it. He came by public transport
and did not let anyone know. India today
quotes him as stating : "Yes I had come to pick up some hockey sticks and
shoes for the players. I do this to ensure my players have the best equipment
and can do their best always. Some of the players also have contracts now and
that helps them.
Is that any act to
be appreciated or ? – would some buy the basic equipments in the mid of a
tournament !!
Now just 2 minutes
to go – both teams locked 2-2, even the coach is emotive now. Ramandeep had a
chance almost .. India have played some
quality hockey in the previous four games and have won two and lost the
remaining. Both the losses were very close ones and a draw was always in
India’s pocket. Today Akashdeep puts us
on top. Few minutes later, Tucker broke
back. Then came the 2nd goal
- Raghunath with a brilliant ball into the scoring area, finds Ramandeep who
drills it in to give India the lead. The
last quarter was very exciting but in the end it was only a draw !
photo credit : Indian Express
Though not a win,
the long wait of Indian hockey team to
reach the knockout stages of Olympics Games finally ended after they made it to
the quarter-finals of Rio 2016 Olympics despite a 2-1 loss against the
Netherlands on Thursday. India progressed to quarters on the basis of the
results of other matches in their pool. A 4-4 draw between Argentina and
Germany meant that India no team can replace them in the top four standings of
the points table in Pool B. In India’s group Nederlands top the table with 10 points but with a better
goal difference than Germany, a team which also has 10 points and are second
position. Finishing third will mean India face the team which finishes second
in the other group, most likely Spain or Belgium. Both these teams have been in
good form.
India had
last made it to the knockout stages in 1980 Moscow Olympics. This was also the
Games in which it won last of their eight gold medals in hockey. India have won
a record eight gold medals at the Olympics.
Could read
that way back in 1932 Olympics,
the Indian team put in a fine
performance though the field was reduced to just three contenders, United
States and Japan being the other two. India notched a record 24-1 win against
the hosts with Roop Singh scoring 10 and Dhyan Chand eight, and drubbed Japan
11-1 to win their second Olympic gold medal.
Hockey had debuted
much earlier. At the 1908 Summer
Olympics, a field hockey tournament was contested for the first time. Six teams
entered from three states. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was
represented by a team from each of the four Home Nations: England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales. Germany sent a championship club team, while France sent a
team composed of players from three clubs.
England won the gold medal, Ireland the silver, and Scotland and Wales
the bronze medals.
The 1928 Summer
Olympics in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, was golden for India as India took
its first ever gold in the sport of field hockey, beginning a streak of six
consecutive gold medals in the sport.
Everytime
we read that, we feel happy ~ but, when we get to relive those golden moments !
.. we keep hoping. Whether India will
finish at 3rd or 4th depends on the match between
Argentina and Ireland.
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
12th Aug 2016 @ 10.30 pm.
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