Golden feats still recalled as if yesterday
Every Olympic Games, Mohan Patel relives New Zealand hockey’s golden moment.
It may have happened 40 years but the memories of New Zealand upsetting Australia 1-0 in the Olympic Games hockey final in Montreal, Canada in 1976 are as vivid as yesterday.
Patel and other members of that team got to reminisce on their experiences and achievements at a breakfast in Auckland hosted by another New Zealand gold medal winning Olympian John Walker and his Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation.
Other prestigious guests included members of the gold medal winning rowing eights of 1972 and the bronze medal winning eight of 1976 and who won also include members of the 1972 and 76 rowing eight and Dick Quax, the two time Olympic flag bear.
Patel, the 63-year-old deputy principal at Mangere College, says it’s still a high point in his life.
He was a 24-year-old halfback then and he appreciates how privileged he was to have witnessed every minute of that absorbing final, including his close friend Ramesh Patel missing a penalty.
‘‘The immense focus, determination and belief in the group is what I remember most,’’ says Patel who went Wesley Primary and Wesley Intermediate Schools in Grey Lynn before going to Mt Roskill Grammar School for his secondary education.
‘‘The journey was more important than the end result for me because the Olympic Games offers opportunities, experiences and challenges that provides personal growth.’’
‘‘I’m humbled and honoured to be part of a special group who happened to achieve highest level of sport.’’
Patel played for the St Lukes Hockey club from the age of seven alongside Ramesh. They were the only Indian players in the team.
Patel’s touchstone, his treasured gold medal is, as he put it: ‘‘Around the house. I bring it out only when there is public interest.’’ at the
‘‘The immense focus, determination and belief in the group is what I remember most’’
The feats of that gold medal winning effort are now immortalised in the book Striking Gold by Suzanne McFadden. The book was launch in April this year.