Paris, July 27: Ahead of their first match against New Zealand in the Paris Olympics on Saturday, Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh said they will focus on giving their best in every game to qualify for the quarterfinals.

India are placed in Pool B with New Zealand, defending champions Belgium, Australia, Argentina and Ireland.

"Every journey has its own challenges. From New Zealand up until we play Belgium, each match presents a unique test. Our focus is to perform consistently, adapting to the different styles of play, defensive setups, and attacking strategies of each team. Taking it one match at a time and giving our best in every game is crucial for accumulating the points needed to qualify for the quarterfinals," Sreejesh told JioCinema.

After the historic bronze medal finish in the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian team raised the expectations of the country in Paris. Sreejesh echoed that by saying they're focused on returning home with a medal.

"We need to have that belief in our potential to win medals. If our mindset is only about participation, we’ll remain just participants. But when we start dreaming about winning a medal, that’s when every player will believe in himself and the team and believe that we deserve to be on the podium. This fuels our passion and dedication, motivating us to work harder each day to become an Olympic medallist," he said.

The veteran added their recent Europre tours will help them to acclimatise to Paris weather and turf.

"Europe’s weather is unpredictable. One day it’s hot, the next it could rain, and then it might be cold. However, our team is quite familiar with such conditions as we frequently travel to Europe for matches against teams like Holland, Germany, Spain, and Belgium. We’ve trained on all three pitches in Paris, which are fast and good," he said.

When asked does he feels pressure with ‘Wall of India’ tag attached to him, Sreejesh said, "The tag is more a responsibility than pressure. It means I must minimize mistakes because any error by the goalkeeper is visible on the scoreboard. While perfection is the goal, I am human and do make mistakes. However, I have a good team to cover my mistakes. If I concede a goal, my forwards are ready to score, and my defenders always help me improve. It’s a team effort where each member backs the other."

On the current mix of experienced and youngsters in the squad, he said, "Every team I’ve played with has been special. From 2012 to 2021 and now, each squad was the best at that time. What sets this team apart is the mix of 11 members from the last Olympics, who have medal-winning experience, and the newer players who have been training with us for years. This blend of experienced players and young talent will be our strength in this tournament as we need to have fresh legs to carry you throughout this tournament."

Reflecting on his remarkable journey in Indian hockey which will come to an end after the conclusion of the Paris Olympics, the goalkeeper said, "For me, it was a great moment because when I joined GV Raja Sports School in 2000, I never imagined I’d be playing hockey for so long. Approaching the Paris Olympics, the first thing that came to my mind was carrying that jersey, symbolising the significance of this journey. It's hard to think about the next Olympics in LA, but for now, my focus is on Paris 2024."

"I hope to be remembered as a good person with a positive attitude and a smiling face. In hockey, I want to inspire future generations. When youngsters pick up a hockey stick or decide to become goalkeepers, I want them to say, ‘I want to be like Sreejesh PR.’ If I can inspire even a few kids to take up the game, that would be the greatest legacy I could leave," he added.

--IANS

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