The Indian men’s hockey team departed for renowned adventurer Mike Horn’s base in Switzerland, marking the start of their final preparations for the Paris Olympics. This intense three-day camp aims to build mental resilience before the team heads to the Netherlands for a series of practice matches, culminating in their arrival in the French capital.
Skipper Harmanpreet Singh emphasized the importance of these upcoming experiences, stating, “These activities will ensure that the players are in the best state of mind and body before we begin our Paris Olympic journey.”
The team has just completed a rigorous two-week training camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility in Bengaluru. Following their detour to Switzerland with Mike Horn, known for his extreme adventures, they will engage in practice matches against the Netherlands and Malaysia.
The final training phase in the Netherlands will prepare the team to arrive in Paris on July 20. Harmanpreet Singh expressed the team’s enthusiasm, saying, “The team is in high spirits and is looking forward to the final block of training.”
India’s Olympic campaign will kick off in Pool B with a match against New Zealand on July 27, followed by Argentina on July 29. They will then face Ireland and Belgium on July 30 and August 1, respectively, concluding the group stage against Australia on August 2. To advance to the knockout stages, India must finish in the top four.
Vice-captain Hardik Singh reflected on the team’s preparation, noting, “We have identified areas needing improvement from the London and Antwerp stages of the FIH Pro League 2023/24 and addressed them in our training camp at SAI Bengaluru.
