Times of India: India can win hockey medal at Rio: Gurbux Singh
By Archiman Bhaduri
Hockey has fetched the maximum number of medals for India at the Olympic Games. The country had dominated the sport at the global stage for a long time.
However, India have failed to produce desired results over the last few Games. But Olympian Gurbux Singh feels India stand a good chance to finish on the podium at the Rio Olympics in Brazil.
“I think the format of this Olympic will suit India,” Gurbux said.
This time the 12 qualified teams have been divided into two groups of six nations each. While each team will play each other once, four teams from each group will make the knockout stage. “With four teams making the quarterfinals, I feel there is a greater chance of India making the knockouts this time,” Gurbux said.
The former India captain felt things become different once a team makes the quarters. “I have always seen that once teams make the knockouts they play with a lot more heart. I am sure if India make the quarters, they will play much better brand of hockey,” he said.
Looking at India’s group at Rio, Gurbux felt they should beat all the teams except Germany and the Netherlands. “Germany and Netherlands will be tough. But India are capable of beating them too. But even if they fail to do that, they should qualify for the quarters beating Argentina, Canada and Ireland,” Gurbux, who won the Olympic gold in 1964 Tokyo Olympics, said.