The excitement and anxiousness was palpable among the women led by promising young Captain Sushila Chanu. The Hockey India women’s team features in Pool B and will play against Argentina, Australia, Great Britain, and Japan. “After a series of losses in England and Australia in the lead up to the Olympic Games, the wins in the USA has helped us in gaining the confidence we needed ahead of the Rio Olympics,” said Chanu.

Also, read : India women's hockey skipper Sushila Chanu opens up about captaincy and the Olympics

Obviously, we are here to win a medal. But to do that, we need to take it match-by-match. We will not take any match lightly, be it Ireland (the first team we play), Canada or the defending Olympic Champions Germany. We will play each match like it is our last."

PR Sreejesh

The captain further stated that every match will be crucial and their first goal is to make the quarterfinals. “Obviously, we are here to win a medal. But to do that, we need to take it match-by-match. We will not take any match lightly, be it Ireland (the first team we play), Canada or the defending Olympic Champions Germany. We will play each match like it is our last,” stated the goalkeeper.

The Indian men’s team will play Netherlands, Argentina, Germany, Ireland and Canada in their pool ‘B’ matches and will need to be in the top four in the pool to make it to the quarterfinals.

Chief Coach Roelant Oltmans expressed the team’s eagerness to compete in the greatest tournament on the planet. “This is the first Olympics for most of the boys in the team and naturally they have butterflies in their stomach but this bunch knows how to handle pressure in big-ticket matches. This moment that we have been working on for so many months and years is finally here and I am confident that this team has it in them to create history. This is the time for them to peak and I am sure they are ready for it,” he concluded.   

Report Courtesy : © Hockey India media

Men’s Team Schedule

Women’s Team Schedule