Kurukshetra: Girls will bounce back, say parents

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Kurukshetra, August 4

After India’s loss to Argentina in the women hockey semi-final in the Olympics on Wednesday, the families of skipper Rani Rampal, forward player Navneet and midfielder Navjot of Shahabad looked a little disappointed, but they still have hopes that the girls will bounce back and return with the bronze medal.

After the match, Rani’s neighbours, who had gathered at her house, said, “The girls fought well. For us, they have won. They already created history when they stunned three-time champion Australia to enter the semis for the first time.”

Rampal, Rani’s father, said, “It happens. The team fought till the last second. They played bravely and made us proud. It was not their day. We have not lost hope and I am sure that the girls will learn from their mistakes, and I assure you that they will bounce back strongly. You will see a geared-up team in the next match. I will talk to her soon to boost her morale.”

Similarly, forward player Navneet’s father Buta Singh said, “It was a tough match. They played well, but it is a game and only one team will win. The girls still have a match on Friday and they will return with a medal.”

Satnam Singh, Navjot’s father, said, “They played well and we still hope that the girls will return with a medal as they still have a chance.”

In Sonepat, the family members of Neha Goyal and Nisha Warsi were left disappointed as they were quite confident about the team making it to the final, but their hopes were dashed.

The mothers of both the players started weeping as the team lost the match.

Monika Goyal, midfielder Neha’s sister, said she specially went to their home to watch the match with her mother Savitri Devi. “My mother hasn’t eaten since morning as she decided to eat after the team’s win.”

Meanwhile, hockey lovers in Hisar said they were proud of the girls, who proved that future of women hockey was bright. Udita’s mother Geeta Devi said the girls lost the match, but won many hearts.

‘Winning, losing part of game’

Hisar: “Well played,” said Mahender Punia, father of Savita Punia, goalie of the Indian women hockey team, after the girls went down fighting in the semis at the Tokyo Olympics.

As the match ended, Mahender said winning and losing were part and parcel of the game. He said the performance of girls was laudable. TNS

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