‘Women’s hockey team deserves a welcome befitting winners’
KARNAL: “The whole world is praising the performance of Indian women’s hockey team and they deserve a warm welcome back home,” said team captain Rani Rampal’s father Rampal.
Reacting to their 3-4 defeat at the hands of Great Britain in the bronze medal match in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the skipper’s father, at his residence in Kurukshetra, said, “We don’t have any regrets. Their game was wonderful and tough till the last moment. It is not a defeat but a victory of their efforts.”
He said these girls have laid the foundation by reaching the semi-finals after a long gap and their defeat for a bronze medal cannot become a hurdle in their way ahead.
“They still deserve a warm welcome. We will make all arrangements to welcome them like heroes,” he added.
Hockey player Navjot Kaur’s father Satnam Singh also praised their team spirit and fight. “The way our daughters fought in this match is commendable,” he said.
He said the team’s journey to the semi-finals in the Olympics is the story of struggle of the daughters of India. It will inspire new players to take their legacy forward, he added.
Sharing similar sentiments, another player Navneet Kaur’s father Buta Singh said the girls should be considered winners of hearts.
“They made all efforts to bring a medal for the country. These daughters of India will be treated in Shahabad the same way as it is done after winning a medal,” he said.
Family members of the players said it was a tough day for them. They remained glued to the television sets soon after the match started. Rampal said he got up at 5am to watch the match on Friday and prayed for the team’s good performance along with his family at a homebuilt temple.
Navjot’s mother Manjeet Kaur left the room in tears in the final moments of the match and later spoke to her daughter over the phone, praising them.