Stade Yves-du-Manoir, located in Paris, holds a legendary status within the realm of the Olympics. Situated approximately 10 kilometers from Notre Dame, it was the venue for one of the most remarkable athletic events, the 100 and 400-meter races during the 1924 Paris Olympics, which were famously depicted in the film Chariots of Fire. A century later, this historic site remains the only venue from that period still in operation for the upcoming 2024 Olympics, and it has the potential to witness another monumental sporting event, with the Indian hockey team taking center stage. On Sunday, India secured its place in the Olympic semifinals for the second consecutive time, achieving a memorable victory over Great Britain in a penalty shoot-out, despite competing with one fewer player for the majority of the match.
The controversial send-off led to a sense of injustice among the Indian players, who displayed immense courage and tactical acumen during the 43-minute battle. This victory, marked by a defensive masterclass uncommon in Indian hockey, culminated in a 4-2 triumph after a 1-1 tie in regulation time. Former captain Manpreet Singh, participating in his fourth Olympics, described it as the greatest win of his career with the national team. Coach Craig Fulton echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the significance of the hard-fought victory.
India’s eighth day of competition at the Olympics featured shooter Manu Bhaker winning two bronze medals, one in a team event with Sarabjot Singh, and another from Swapnil Kusale. In addition, badminton star Lakshya Sen suffered a loss against defending Olympic champion Victor Axelsen, and boxer Lovlina Borgohain was eliminated in the last-8 stage. The hockey quarterfinal against Britain was evenly matched for 17 minutes, but in the second minute of the second quarter, defender Amit Rohidas made a crucial play.
In a duel for possession against Will Calnan, Rohidas raised his stick and struck the British attacker on the head. The referee stopped the game and, after reviewing the video footage with the video umpire, concluded that Rohidas had deliberately committed the act, resulting in a straight red card being shown to him. Over the past 11 years, there have been only four instances of a player being sent off in a major tournament — and never during the Olympics. The Indian team expressed their disagreement, their coach engaged in discussions with the match officials, and the Indian fans collectively booed.
It is extremely rare in international hockey for a team to play three-quarters of a match with a numerical disadvantage and still emerge victorious. However, this Indian team rose to the occasion. Prior to arriving in Paris, they had spent three days in the Swiss Alps engaging in activities that the team’s mental coach Paddy Upton described as “truly frightening” and with “consequences far worse than losing a hockey match”.
The purpose was to cultivate a sense of unity among the players and prepare them to perform outside of their comfort zones. Essentially, it was to equip them for situations like this. Embracing an attitude of ‘us against the world’, they transformed the setback of losing a player into motivation and switched to an attacking strategy, blending anger with finesse to penetrate the British defense. Just five minutes after the red card, captain Harmanpreet Singh scored to put India in the lead with his signature drag-flick. Although Britain managed to score two minutes before halftime, it seemed like the floodgates were about to open.
After India emerged from the dressing room for the second half, they displayed a defensive masterclass that impressed even the neutral spectators in the stands. The Indian players fought relentlessly for every loose ball, stooping low to intercept Britain’s passes, resulting in bruises on their knuckles. Despite being down to nine men at the start of the fourth quarter for two minutes, India maintained their shape and successfully thwarted all 24 British attacks.
When the final hooter sounded after 60 minutes, the Indian players celebrated the 1-1 tie as a victory. Hardik Singh raised his fist in triumph, Vivek Sagar Prasad kissed the ground, and Fulton smiled for the first time that morning. Goalkeeper Sreejesh exuded confidence, knowing that the match was now in his territory – penalty shootouts. With his experience in 22 shootouts, Sreejesh denied two British players, putting India in a favorable position. Raj Kumar Pal, making his Olympics debut, scored the winning goal against the British goalkeeper, leading to an outpouring of emotions.
The British athletes collapsed onto the azure field, tears streaming down their faces in disbelief. Nearby, a couple of Indian players mimicked Sourav Ganguly by removing their shirts and waving them in the air, while others exchanged hugs and high-fives. The audience, comprised mainly of individuals from the Netherlands, Belgium, Britain, and India, rose to their feet to applaud the departing players. “Today, we played for all those who believe that hockey belongs to India,” stated vice captain Hardik Singh.
Hardik was surrounded by fans seeking selfies and autographs, as were his teammates. Amidst the frenzy, coach Fulton caught a glimpse of his daughter’s feet behind a curtain separating the spectator area from the playing field. He hurried to the fence, touched her tiny feet, and spoke to her. Fulton could only see her silhouette through the curtain, and she could only hear his voice – a moment of calm amidst the chaos.
Leave a Reply