PR Sreejesh: First target is to qualify for Paris

India hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh

India's Tokyo Olympics bronze medal-winning hockey team have already begun working on new training methods and strategies as they prepare to qualify for the 2024 Paris Games.

The Indian team under skipper Manpreet Singh broke a 41-year medal jinx to win bronze in Tokyo last year, and the team's senior goalkeeper and former skipper PR Sreejesh, insists the boys are training hard at the Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China in September this year.

Biggest hurdle

A gold medal at the Asian Games results in automatic qualification for the Paris Games. "Our first target is to qualify for Paris, so the Asian Games is the biggest hurdle. After that, the World Cup [to be held in Bhubaneswar in January next year] is the second important tournament for us. Our training is going great, we have implemented some new strategies. So, our focus currently is on the Asian Games and thereafter to finish in the top four in Bhubaneswar," Sreejesh, 33, told mid-day during a virtual media interaction on Tuesday.

Sreejesh, along with other Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics medallists, including Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Dahiya, Mirabai Chanu, Lovlina Borgohain, Suhas Yathiraj and Krishna Nagar, are among a list of 18 national heroes, who have come together to sing the national anthem in a music video released by former Test cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni's International Institute of Sports Management.

Boost for youngsters

Sreejesh felt that this is the right time for the youngsters in the team to rub shoulders along with the seniors and prepare for the tougher challenges ahead. "A host of
youngsters have been added to the core group and they will get a lot of opportunities. We are starting this year with the [FIH] Pro League [in February] before the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games [in July-August in Birmingham]. We will have around 16 matches and most probably the Asia Cup will be held too. So, there is a good platform where we can try out the youngsters and give them opportunities to play tournaments," added Sreejesh.