New Delhi [India], November 5 : In the last half a decade, the Indian men's hockey team have bagged two bronze medals at the Olympic Games, and that brought a lot of joy to the fraternity. India had to wait a bit before experiencing Olympic glory, but that was not the case for the major part of the last 100 years. With 13 medals at the Olympic Games and three at the World Cup, India is among the most decorated teams in the sport.
Reflecting on India's glorious history, a two-time World Cup medallist (runners-up in 1973 and winner of 1975 edition) and an Olympic medallist (1972 bronze medal), BP Govinda said, "It is a nice thing and a big achievement that we can celebrate such a glorious 100 years of Indian hockey. The journey started all the way back in 1928 with our first Olympic medal, and we are all very happy that Hockey India is making a celebration of this landmark of 100 years."
Considered to be one of the fastest players during his era, BP Govinda was a crucial part of the Indian team. In 1973, it was his goal that helped India overcome Pakistan in a thrilling semi-final, before they went on to win the silver medal.
In the next World Cup in 1975, BP Govinda again played a big role in the team's success, scoring important goals in the tournament, as India outclassed arch-rivals Pakistan in the final to win the coveted gold medal. Reflecting on the memories of those World Cup campaigns, BP Govinda said, "The 1975 World Cup, we really outclassed Pakistan in the finals, but before that, Malaysia gave us a very tough time in the semifinals."
He further added, "When we won the Gold medal in 1975 in the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, there are no words to express the feeling. All the members of the Indian team were overjoyed, and there was a lot of emotion, as it was the first World Cup Gold medal, and of course, we were all very thrilled to stand on the podium."
Now, as a former player and a fan of the sport, BP Govinda believes that the current generation of players should always strive for excellence. He said, "As a team, the Indian men's hockey team should always expect a lot from themselves. It is important to aim for the top prize; the team should always aim for a gold medal. We have won two bronze medals in the last two Olympics. I hope we can make it better in the next Olympics and World Cups."
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