With an eye on Tokyo, Marijne’s girls ready for final flourish
INDIA V JAPAN IN ASIAN GAMES
JAKARTA: The pressure of expectations that has been hovering over coach Sjoerd Marijne would have risen a notch when India played three-time Asian Games’ champions China on Wednesday. A loss in the semi-final could have spelt doom for many.
So, Marijne was at it right from the start, shouting instructions and screaming at the slightest of errors from his wards. The teams were locked 0-0 at breather and the pep talk at break did the trick for India. They were a completely different unit after the switch and in the end a solitary goal, eight minutes from time by Gurjit Kaur, was enough to see them through to a historic final after 20 years where Japan lie in wait on Friday.
Certainly, the brain behind India’s success was Marijne. He has transformed these young girls into a formidable brigade and, more importantly, with a will to excel. And he will be hoping for one last hurrah.
Victory will also ensure India direct qualification for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. “We need to remember the remaining two quarters of the match, which we played against China, and that style of playing would be helpful to us in executing our plans against Japan,” said Marijne.
“It’s not going to be an easy match against Japan. They are growing as a team and being the host of the Olympics in 2020, they would like to finish on top. But we need to play our best hockey tomorrow to stop them from winning,” he said. “In fact, our girls should pick up the best things from the match against China,” said Marijne after accepting that India didn’t play to potential against China in the first half.
“They were too reactive and not proactive. It was bit frustrating. I am the coach and my job is to ensure the team plays to its potential but that didn’t happen in the first half (against China). We need to ensure that is not repeated against Japan.”
Captain Rani Rampal, yet to recover from niggling injuries in her shoulder and ankle, will have to be at her best. “Yes, there are small issues about my fitness, but they are nothing to worry about,” she said. New Delhi India beat Japan 3-0 India drew with Japan 1-1
India’s Sandeep Kumar was disqualified during the men’s 50 kilometre race walk on Thursday. Sandeep received three official warnings during the race which led to his disqualification.
Hayato Katsuki of Japan won gold with a time of four hours, three minutes and 30 seconds. This was the fourth instance an Indian long distance athlete was disqualified.
Earlier in the Games, Baby Soumya was disqualified in the women’s 20km race walk. In the men’s 20km race walk too, national record holder KT Irfan and Manish Rawat were disqualified.
DANISH, JYOTI OUT OF KURASH EVENTS
JAKARTA: India’s Danish Sharma and Jyoti Thokas were knocked out of the men’s and women’s events in Kurash.
Sharma lost 0-10 to Kuwait’s Misri Husein in the men’s 90kg quarter-finals. Jyoti Thokas lost 0-10 to Turkmenistan’s Lohova Mariya in the women’s 78kg round of 16 here.
MANIKA, SHARATH AND SATHIYAN ADVANCE
JAKARTA: Indian table tennis players Manika Batra and Sharath Kamal progressed to the women’s and men’s pre-quarterfinals. Sathiyan Gnanasekaran also made it to the round of 16 but it was curtains for Mouma Das in women’s singles.
Manikathrashed Nanthana Komwong 4-0 (11-3 11-7 11-3 11-6) in a lop-sided round of 32 match. Sharath won 4-0 (11-4 11-8 11-7 11-5)over Pakistan’s 52-year-old Muhammad Asim Qureshi.
Sathiyan defeated Indonesia’s Ficky Supit Santoso 4-2 (11-3 9-11 14-12 11-1 9-11) in a round of 32 match.
Earlier, Mouma lost 0-4 (6-11 5-11 6-11 6-11) to Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szuyu in a round of 32 match.