Click to play videoLucknow: Indian hockey may just play at the Olympics — before you get too excited; its not the men we are talking about. The Indian women's hockey team is headed to Russia for the qualifiers on April 9 and hopes are high.
The team last played at the Olympics in 1980 but recent results have been encouraging.
They won silver at the last Commonwealth Games; bronze at the Asian Games and were fourth at the last Asian Championships, but there is no denying that suddenly, these girls have the burden of India's hockey expectations on their young shoulders.
Says a player of the team, Mamta Kharab, "We are sad that the men didn't qualify. We will try to make up for it and for that we are putting in our 100 per cent."
It won't be easy though for just like the men they too can book their ticket to Beijing only if they win the tournament. The United States are the top ranked team and will be their main rivals.
However, the coaching staff is confident that the girls have the potential.
Says the coach of the women's hockey team, A B Subbiah, "They have a great chance to qualify and get the honour of being called Olympians and they know it too. They have worked very hard for this. They also know the importance of this tournament. I think that they will cope well and do well in this tournament."
If the girls can pull off the huge challenge that faces them, Indian hockey will finally have some reason to cheer.
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