A bronze medal end just isn’t what hockey coach Craig Fulton had needed however the South African would relish the achievement merely for the truth that “underdog India” lifted themselves up from disappointments when nobody gave them an opportunity. India dominated Spain of their bronze play-off to safe a 2-1 win. The final time India achieved back-to-back medals on the Olympic Video games was in 1968 and 1972. India had endured a tough build-up to the Video games, receiving a 0-5 hammering by the hands of Australia and likewise struggled within the FIH Professional-League.
Fulton, although, stated his crew had what it takes to ship on the largest stage. Up to now India would desperately search for a medal-finish however now even a second consecutive medal just isn’t seen as the specified end result.
“We’re not joyful right here the place we’re. We needed the one above and we did not get it. However the subsequent smartest thing to do was this,” Fulton stated after India received its second consecutive medal.
The coach stated the time interval between 2021 and 2024 was of constructing a crew that would battle collectively.
“I feel the largest factor was that we turned a crew, and we did that by way of a really brief area of time. We would have liked to construct belief, as a result of that is the primary factor that you may depend on,” Fulton stated.
“And I believed we did job within the Asian Video games to start out that course of. After which we clearly pushed by way of. We had some powerful instances in Australia, powerful instances within the Professional League.
“We knew we had it in us, and we got here in right here as underdogs. In a way, nobody even thought we had been going to make the highest 4.” Fulton stated he knew India may compete towards all these groups.
“And we had good outcomes. And, yeah, to get the belief again there, Paddy’s (Paddy Upton) had an enormous enter into that. However so has our employees, so has our group.” Solely India and Germany have achieved back-to-back medals and Fulton stated it offers a transparent message: “That exhibits we’re heading in the right direction. We’re pleased with our capacity to stand up after the disappointments.” India largely dominated the match towards Spain, attacking extra and defending effectively however Fulton stated “it was a troublesome sport, man”.
“Spain threw the whole lot at us. And it was stunning to lastly get the outcomes.” It was Spain that took the lead by changing a penalty stroke however Fulton stated they weren’t perturbed.
The mindset is now such that they’ve the assumption that the crew can bounce again. “So, we have seen all of it, been by way of all of it. So, it was simply, begin once more. And I feel the great factor was, we knew if we acquired corners, we had been going to attain as a result of we had an ideal plan. And it labored like a bolt,” he stated.
“It was good. Yeah, effectively, the third quarter was nice. We had been capable of put actual strain on. And we did that. And the principle factor is, we needed to handle the ball higher.” Requested in regards to the pre-match conversations, he stated, “We instructed them, it is not about who deserves it. It is about who desires it extra and that was a key message for everybody.” It took India 41 years to interrupt the Olympic medal jinx in Tokyo and the second got here inside three years. Can India keep constant? “You noticed the consistency within the match. It was a troublesome begin for us. However then from, clearly, once we certified, beating Eire. After which the sport with Belgium, we nonetheless performed effectively. We needed to make some enhancements. After which that got here within the Aussie sport,” Fulton stated.
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