Image credit: Hockey India
Kolkata: For Salima Tete, India’s historic Asian Games gold medal was more than just leading the team to end a 44-year wait for the continental title. Once one 15-minute phase ended, we focused on the next.
We took control of our destiny,” she said. We kept telling ourselves that if we played good hockey and executed our plans well, the goals would come,” she said. It was the fulfilment of a dream that began in a small village in Jharkhand and culminated in the honour of leading the country to one of the biggest achievements in Indian women’s hockey. “We went into the tournament with a clear mindset that we had to play our own game and create history. Whatever happened, we were determined not to lose. India’s women defended resolutely after taking the lead against China in the final, producing a gritty performance that reflected the character of the side. The gold medal also fulfilled one of the team’s biggest objectives: securing a direct Olympic berth. A key factor behind India’s success, she explained, was the team’s ability to break matches into manageable phases. “We treated every match like a final.
The heartbreak of missing out on a World Cup semifinal spot earlier in the year became the driving force behind the team’s Asian Games campaign, according to Salima. We looked at our mistakes, worked on them, and told ourselves we would not repeat them. That disappointment became our motivation,” said the captain.
“We learned a lot from the World Cup.